Author: Momo Chan

The night before my wedding, my fiancé took me to meet his friends. He was attentive throughout the dinner, and his friends praised him, “Your bride is so pure and innocent, Liam. You’ve hit the jackpot.” Liam smiled smugly, “Of course my wife is the best. Not like those flashy gold-diggers out there.” But when I went to the restroom, I overheard him bragging in a low voice: “Innocent? What’s the use of that? She’s like a dead fish in bed. If she wasn’t Rosalie’s twin sister, I wouldn’t even bother touching her.” The next day at the wedding, my sister showed up with a baby bump. Liam, true to his words, asked me to step aside. I laughed coldly as I tore off my veil and walked to Alexander Grant, who was sitting in a wheelchair in the audience. “They all say you like me. Now that I’m single, do you dare to marry me?” “Haha, Stella Winters has gone crazy!” “Choosing a cripple? Talk about desperate!” “What a disgrace! She’s dragging the Winters family name through the mud!” The guests’ mocking laughter pierced my ears. Each word felt like a needle stabbing into my heart. My father’s face turned purple with rage, and my mother rushed to the stage, grabbing my arm tightly. “Have you lost your mind?! Ruining yourself out of spite?!” Below the stage, Liam Carter held Rosalie close, a smirk playing on his lips. “Well, well, I underestimated her. She’s got guts after all.” Rosalie let out a scornful laugh, her voice sickly sweet, “Guts? More like she’s lost her marbles. Stella dear, are you sure you want to spend the rest of your life with a cripple?” She deliberately caressed her swollen belly, her eyes challenging and triumphant. My heart felt like it was being torn apart. I thought tearing off the wedding dress would set me free, but all it brought was more humiliation. Alexander stood up and limped towards me. Compared to the polished and handsome Liam Carter, he was a world apart. I suddenly regretted my impulsive decision. Why did I choose a disabled man? Was I really going to spend the rest of my life with him? Alexander stopped in front of me and pulled out a ring from his pocket. The stone was made of crushed diamonds, dull and lifeless, not even a full carat. The diamond ring Liam had given Rosalie was a dazzling three carats. In comparison, this ring looked pathetically cheap. The mocking laughter from the audience grew louder. “Haha, even the ring is so shabby!” “Stella Winters, are you really content with this?” Tears nearly fell from my eyes. When had I ever suffered such humiliation in my life? But when Alexander held my hand, I froze. His hand was warm and steady. “I do,” he said firmly. Unlike Liam’s flowery words or the guests’ cold mockery, these two simple words made my heart skip a beat. “Are you sure? I might bring you trouble.” “I’m not afraid,” he replied without hesitation. The audience erupted into even louder laughter. “Two losers make a perfect pair!” “A cripple and a crazy woman, what a match!” Liam spoke up loudly, “Stella, don’t be stubborn. Come back. The baby in Rosalie’s belly needs a father, and you need a whole man.” A whole man? I sneered inwardly. What kind of whole man was Liam Carter? Betrayal, deception, playing with sisters’ feelings – was that his idea of being whole? I looked at Alexander. His leg might be crippled, but his character wasn’t. “Alright, I will,” I said, extending my hand to let him put on that dull ring. The ring was small, fitting perfectly as if it was made just for me. The audience below fell into shocked silence.

Liam’s face instantly transformed from contempt to fury. He strode over and grabbed my wrist, his grip so tight it felt like he might crush my bones. “Stella Winters, you’d rather choose a cripple to spite me than beg for my forgiveness?” Before I could react, my father rushed over. I thought he was going to stop Liam and protect me. Instead, he raised his hand and slapped me hard across the face. The crisp sound echoed through the entire wedding venue. My cheek instantly swelled up, burning with pain. Blood seeped from the corner of my mouth. The mocking laughter in the hall suddenly stopped, followed by even more piercing whispers. “You ungrateful child! You’ve completely disgraced our family! Get back there right now!” my father shouted, his eyes filled with anger and disgust, without a trace of concern. I covered my face, tears nearly spilling out. Not from the pain, but from the coldness in my heart. This man was my father. Rosalie then pretended to mediate, stepping forward. “Dad, Stella is just being impulsive. Please don’t be too angry…” As she spoke, she “accidentally” stomped on my foot with her high heel. The sharp pain made me lose my balance instantly. She then pretended to lose her balance and rammed her shoulder into me hard. I stumbled and fell to the ground. The pristine white wedding dress was instantly stained with blood from my split lip. The guests below started pointing and whispering. “The Winters’ family education, tsk tsk…” “The elder daughter is crazy, but at least the younger one knows better.” “Good thing Mr. Carter chose the right one.” Rosalie stroked her belly smugly, her eyes full of challenge. Alexander tried to help me up but was blocked by Liam’s friends. “Who do you think you are? You’re not worthy of touching her!” Liam sneered. I lay on the floor, watching Alexander’s anxious but helpless face. A despair greater than physical pain welled up in my heart. Was this the man I had chosen? He couldn’t even protect me. Liam looked down at me, his face full of triumph. “Stella, do you see now? This is your choice. How can a cripple who can barely stand protect you?” He squatted down and reached out to pull me up. “Come on, come back. I can forgive and forget all this, pretend it never happened.” This man, who just last night had called me a dead fish in front of his friends, was now putting on an act of deep affection. Disgusting. I used all my strength to slap his hand away. “Get lost!” Liam’s face instantly darkened. “You ungrateful bitch.” He stood up and kicked the wedding dress beside me. “Since you’re so cheap, go ahead and be with your cripple. But don’t come crying back later!” Seeing this, my father stepped forward again. “You ungrateful child, apologize right now!” My mother also rushed over, crying and wailing. “Stella, have you gone mad? Are you ruining your life just to spite us?” The guests below pointed and whispered, enjoying the spectacle. “Stella Winters has really lost it.” “Choosing a cripple out of spite, she must be desperate.” “What sin did the Winters family commit to have such a daughter?” Rosalie timely came forward, cradling her belly. “Stella, please calm down. We may have had misunderstandings, but Liam truly loves you. Look at Mr. Grant, he can’t even protect you. Is he really suitable for you to spend your life with?” Her words cut deep into my heart. I lay on the ground, feeling the malice from all directions. My parents’ disappointment. My ex-boyfriend’s mockery. My sister’s provocation. The guests’ ridicule. And… the helplessness of the man I had chosen. Had I really made the wrong choice? At this moment, Alexander finally broke free from those people’s restraint. He limped towards me, each step difficult. He knelt down and gently helped me up. “I’m sorry you had to suffer this,” he said softly. Then he turned to face Liam. “You’re right, I can’t protect her.” My heart instantly sank to the bottom. Was he going to abandon me too? But in the next second, he added: “But at least, I won’t hurt her.” He looked at everyone below the stage. “You mock her for going crazy, for choosing me out of spite. But have you ever thought about what would make a woman make such a choice on her wedding day?” The hall fell silent. “It’s betrayal. It’s deception. It’s hurt from those closest to her.” “My leg may be crippled, but my heart isn’t. I may not be able to give her the best material life, but I can give her the truest feelings.” Liam’s face turned ashen with rage. “Stop with this sentimental nonsense! You cripple, what right do you have-” “What right do I have?” Alexander interrupted him, “I have the right to love her. What about you?” “Stop with this mushy talk. Guys, get him out of here.” With that, Liam and his friends pushed Alexander out of the wedding venue.

My mother finally moved. Not to help me up, but to yank me off the ground. Before I could react, Rosalie had already grabbed my other arm. “Mom, what are you doing!” I struggled, but their combined strength was greater than mine. “Shut up! You’ve embarrassed us enough!” my mother hissed. They dragged me towards the back of the stage. The guests watched this scene unfold, some pulling out their phones to record. “Let go of me! Have you all gone mad?” I shouted. I tried to break free, but Rosalie took the chance to pinch my waist hard. The sharp pain made me lose all strength to resist. They dragged me to a storage room backstage filled with junk. The door slammed shut, followed by the sound of a key turning in the lock. I rushed to the door, pounding on it frantically. “Open the door! You can’t lock me in here! Open up!” Outside, Liam’s amplified voice came through the speakers, echoing throughout the venue. “Ladies and gentlemen, I apologize for that little scene earlier. It was quite embarrassing.” “Right now, my abandoned ex-fiancée is reflecting on her actions in a little dark room backstage. How long do you think it will take her to come to her senses?” Laughter erupted from the audience. “Mr. Carter is so witty!” “This is better than watching a movie!” “That woman deserves it!” I had become the public laughingstock of this wedding. My phone vibrated. I took it out and saw a message from my mother. “Stella, stop making a scene. Your sister’s happiness is the most important thing. Kneel down and apologize to Liam, and we can put this all behind us.” I stared at the words on the screen. My sister’s happiness is the most important thing. What about me? Doesn’t my happiness matter? Doesn’t my dignity matter? Am I destined to be humiliated, locked up, and treated like a joke? The music outside grew louder. Liam and Rosalie started dancing. The guests’ applause and cheers grew more enthusiastic. And I, like a piece of trash, was locked in this dark corner. My phone vibrated again. This time it was from Rosalie. “Sis, I know you’re angry right now. But think about it, Liam is so outstanding, he deserves better. Don’t be so stubborn, okay?” I slid down against the door, curling up into a ball. The physical pain, the betrayal from my family, the humiliation from my lover, and the departure of the man who said he would protect me – all of it pushed me into a bottomless abyss. I didn’t even have the strength to cry anymore. Let them laugh. Let them gloat. I had nothing left anyway. Liam’s voice came from outside: “Everyone, now it’s time for the most exciting part. Let’s go see if our ex-fiancée has come to her senses!” Footsteps approached. The sound of a key turning in the lock. The door opened, and blinding light poured in. Liam stood in the doorway, followed by a group of guests, all holding up their phones to record. “Stella, have you thought it through? Ready to apologize?” I lifted my head, about to speak. Suddenly, the main doors of the wedding hall burst open. A group of people stormed in, with Alexander standing at the front, followed by dozens of intimidating bodyguards in black suits. The entire hall fell silent. Everyone was stunned, including Liam. Alexander took off his suit jacket and strode towards me. His leg was still lame. He draped the jacket over my shoulders, then lifted me up in his arms without a word. “What are you doing! Let her go!” Liam finally reacted. Alexander didn’t even glance at him. At that moment, I felt alive again. “Alexander Grant, you think bringing a few men makes you invincible? You’re still just a cripple!” Liam shouted, his face red with anger and embarrassment. Just then, a middle-aged man in a suit stepped forward. He held a document which he threw directly in Liam’s face. “Mr. Carter, from this moment on, 35% of Carter Group’s shares belong to Mr. Grant. You have been removed from the board of directors.”

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In the dead of night, my husband held me close and suddenly remarked with emotion: “You look so beautiful with your hair down like this.” His eyes were full of affection, but I felt as if I’d plunged into an icy abyss. Because I always sleep with my hair down every night. A week later, I went for a prenatal checkup and ran into a woman. Her high ponytail and the necklace she wore caught my eye. It was identical to the one Zachary had given me on our anniversary. “Honey?” Zachary suddenly filled my field of vision. “It’s our turn, shall we go in?” I shifted my gaze to his face. His expression was normal, as if he hadn’t noticed that woman at all. Nor had he realized that the necklace around her neck was the same as the one he’d given me not long ago. I nodded and turned around. He stepped ahead to open the door for me. Unexpectedly, as soon as I sat down, his phone rang. “It’s a work call, might be important. I’ll step out to take it.” Zachary had recently joined the board of directors at the company’s branch office, but today was Monday, and there was an unmissable executive meeting at headquarters that he had to attend. However, to accompany me for the checkup, he had still managed to take time off. All these years, he had always put my needs first. When I saw freshly made mooncakes online from thousands of miles away and craved them, he flew across the country to buy them for me that very day. When I had insomnia and couldn’t sleep, he changed his flight while on a business trip to rush back and keep me company. In all our time together, he had never made me shed a single tear. We were known among our friends as the model couple, but I knew that this was all thanks to his tolerance and compromise. He cared about me too much and was too good to me, consistently for seven years. So much so that even now, I could clearly catch the fleeting nervousness on his face as he looked down at his phone. “We’re past the danger period now, everything looks good.” I walked out of the examination room clutching the results. The woman was no longer outside. Zachary came over to meet me. “Finished so quickly?” I instinctively took a step back. Zachary never wore cologne; he knew I didn’t like the smell. But now, there was suddenly a faint sweet scent on him.

Zachary seemed to notice my reaction. He stopped where he was without coming closer, and asked about my test results. “Is everything okay? That’s great.” “Pregnancy is so tough, once the baby is born, I’ll take some time off and we’ll go on a trip together.” “Your appetite hasn’t been great lately, I’ll make you something fresh for dinner tonight.” On the way home, he chattered away. I responded to each comment. The car stopped at a red light. Zachary gripped the steering wheel, his fingers unconsciously fidgeting. “Honey, I might need to go on a business trip soon.” I turned my head to look at him. His hand suddenly tightened on the wheel, and he forced a smile. “To Africa. Once I’m done with work, I’ll look for some local folk art pieces for you.” As an antique restoration expert, those things naturally appealed to me. Zachary knew this – he had always been intimately familiar with my likes, dislikes and habits. So, it was actually quite strange that he had given me such a flashy necklace for Valentine’s Day. And it turned out to be identical to someone else’s. “When are you leaving?” “In two days, probably.” My phone buzzed. I looked up amid the sound of car horns. The light had suddenly turned green. The summer heat was intense. A fly crashed into the windshield, its abdominal patterns swirling and tangled. My stomach churned for no apparent reason. “Honey, are you alright? Do you want to go to the hospital?” The car pulled over to the side of the road. Zachary shielded me from the sun with his body while gently patting my back. He stared at me with concern, his face full of genuine worry. “I’ll tell the project lead to send someone else. I’ll stay home with you.” I looked up and smiled. “Go ahead, work is more important.” He pressed his lips together without saying more, and pulled out a pack of tissues from his pocket to hand to me. The texture was soft, with a sweet scent. “We ran out of the usual ones. I bought these at the convenience store when I stepped out to take the call. Didn’t realize they were scented.”

I asked Zachary to drop me off at my studio. I was feeling better, and it was time to continue working on the white porcelain bowl I had taken on recently. No one was allowed in my workspace, so Zachary waited outside. “I’ll come pick you up after work then.” The cicadas buzzed incessantly in the summer heat. I stood by the window watching his car drive away, my fingers sliding across my phone screen to dial Henry Zhang’s number. He was my mother’s former student who had joined the company with my father’s help, and later became Zachary’s assistant. Personnel changes were strictly regulated in government-invested companies, and there hadn’t been any new hires around Zachary recently. “There’s a new project bidding in Africa, and management arranged for him to lead the team.” After hanging up, I opened the summary of medical records sent by my friend at the hospital. That woman from today was completely ordinary, with no connection to Zachary whatsoever. In fact, she didn’t even seem to be Zachary’s type. I looked down at my belly. I’d heard that due to hormonal changes, pregnant women tend to become sensitive and suspicious. Was I overthinking things? To be fair, Zachary had been beyond reproach towards me. Last year, I took on a job that required a rare restoration material. He cancelled his work to accompany me on a trek through the mountains to find it. On the way, there was a landslide with mud and rocks pouring down. His first reaction was to hold me in his arms, using his body as a shield to protect me. Zachary was an only child from an average family who had lost his father early on. His mother really hoped he could have a child to carry on the family line. After we got married, when he brought it up to me, I casually replied, “Have you seen how difficult childbirth is?” He actually went and researched all kinds of information, learning about the risks of childbirth, and even specially experienced simulated labor pain. After that, he never mentioned children again. I don’t know how he persuaded his mother, but when I accompanied him home, no one brought up the subject to me either. Until that accident. That day, when he woke up in the hospital, I stroked the scars on his back and suddenly made up my mind to have a child with him. Zachary was silent for a long time, then held me tightly in his arms. He hugged me very close, but I couldn’t see the expression on his face.

After finishing gluing the entire bowl back together, I received a message from Zachary. He had to work overtime unexpectedly. The sun was setting outside, and the aging process couldn’t be completed in a short time either. My mother had once taught me that care and love in a marriage should be reciprocal, not just one person giving unilaterally. I ordered some of Zachary’s favorite dishes from our usual private kitchen restaurant and called a car to head to his office. On the way, I habitually opened my social media app. The homepage recommended a set of photos. I never follow celebrity gossip and didn’t recognize the actress in the photos. But the jewelry brand she was wearing looked familiar. It turned out that the necklace Zachary gave me was from a line she endorsed. As if possessed, I started searching for information about her. Former model, stage name Mia, started playing minor roles four years ago. Her resources suddenly improved last year, leading to her rise in popularity. The clouds merged with the setting sun, melting into gold. I opened the car window, letting in the cool evening breeze. It was on an evening like this last year when Zachary joined the board of directors and gained real power. My father opened a treasured bottle of wine to celebrate for him.

I called Neo. He was the client who commissioned the white porcelain bowl, and also the editor-in-chief of a well-known fashion magazine. Mia’s status wasn’t high enough to deal with him directly, but a top actress from her agency had recently been featured in his magazine. “She should have just finished filming a new drama recently. I heard she’s planning to vacation in Kenya in a few days.” “Why are you suddenly interested in celebrity gossip? Oh – she’s going to the same place as your husband.” The car stopped in front of Zachary’s company. I looked up. The office of the vice chairman was on the third floor in the center, now completely dark. Zachary, who claimed to be working overtime, was nowhere to be seen. “Where was she filming before?” Neo mentioned an obscure city name. I happened to have heard of it. Not long ago, Zachary went on a business trip there and brought me back an underglaze painted porcelain vase.

I found Mia’s latest gossip news. During a livestream to promote her drama, netizens noticed ambiguous red marks on her neck. CP fans went wild, while someone who seemed to be a solo fan of the male lead argued in the comments. [Have you all forgotten? Last year she was photographed going home with a man late at night.] My phone screen suddenly went black, reflecting my face in the dark glass. Like a cockroach lurking in a dark corner. Zachary’s call came in. “Honey, you’re not at the studio anymore?” The work tasks were urgent and heavy, but he couldn’t bear to keep me waiting, so he rushed over to pick me up as soon as he got off work. At that time, I was already on my way here, just missing him. The food delivered from the restaurant was still warm. Zachary made two more appetizers for me and a pot of borscht. “Honey, I’ve been thinking, you need someone by your side right now. I won’t go to Africa after all.” I lowered my head to drink the soup, but it felt like something was suddenly stuck in my throat. Half an hour ago, I had just asked Neo to arrange an interview with Mia. For this, she cancelled her travel plans to Kenya.

After dinner, while Zachary went to cut some fruit, I turned on the TV. Soon after, he came out carrying a fruit platter, looking somewhat guilty. “Honey, Director Liu just called—” A sweet female voice came from the TV. Almost at the same moment, Zachary turned his head. Mia’s face appeared on the screen. “What’s wrong?” He seemed mesmerized, not moving for a long time until I spoke up. “I know this actress.” He sat down next to me, casually slipping his phone into his pocket. “She was my junior in middle school. I didn’t expect her to become an actress later. Last year when she saw news about me, she even reached out asking for help.” “What kind of help?” “Networking. She didn’t have any background and was struggling in the industry.” He handed me a piece of peach. “Don’t worry, I didn’t agree. I know that Dad put in a lot of effort to get me to this position. I won’t let him down.” “I didn’t tell you because I was too busy at the time, and we only chatted briefly. I didn’t think much of it at all. I’m sorry, honey.” His tone was natural and open as he explained his relationship with Mia. In contrast, I was the one hiding and probing, like a petty person who couldn’t be brought into the light. “Lena.” He suddenly called my name. “I finally managed to marry you. Everything I have today is hard-earned. I cherish it very much.” He hugged me, his heart pressed close to my cheek. I smelled the familiar clean scent again, which was reassuring. That night, while Zachary was in the shower, I sat on the bed scrolling through my phone. A few years ago, I had registered an account on a social media platform where I occasionally posted about my daily life as an antique restorer, as well as some of my paintings. I had gradually accumulated tens of thousands of followers, and every time I opened the app, there were quite a few private messages. About an hour ago, one of my longtime followers had sent me a message. [Lena, I’m so upset. I’m sick, but my boyfriend stood me up to go be with another woman.] I suddenly turned my head to look at Zachary’s phone charging on the nightstand.

In the kitchen, Zachary took a phone call. When he came out with the fruit, he had actually wanted to tell me he needed to go back to work. In the end, I didn’t ask what made him choose to stay home instead. Similarly, I didn’t touch his phone either. Zachary knew better than anyone that I couldn’t tolerate even a speck of sand in my eye. If he had really done something he couldn’t let me know about, he wouldn’t leave any traces in plain sight. I don’t like to drag things out – it’s either all or nothing for me. “Honey, I want to go to Zen Cloud Temple on Saturday.” Zachary didn’t have to work on weekends, so he happily agreed. I got up early, leaving before sunrise. As the car passed through the highway toll booth, I received a message from Neo. He had already taken Zachary’s car keys and was on his way to Mia’s house. On the day we arranged the interview, Neo had suggested going to her home first to shoot some behind-the-scenes material, as I had requested. He was an expert in this field and easily convinced Mia. The ancient temple stood amidst layered mountains. I climbed the steps one by one. As the clouds parted and the mist cleared, Buddhist scriptures chanted, and the Ksitigarbha Bodhisattva’s statue looked solemn yet compassionate. The fortune slip fell to the ground. — Young love of wine and flowers, unlike the old feelings. “Do you want to draw another one?” Zachary bent down to help me up. I turned around. Dark clouds obscured the sun above, as if a heavy rain was coming. A few minutes ago, Neo had driven Zachary’s car out of Mia’s neighborhood. Whether going in or out, he wasn’t stopped once while driving Zachary’s car.

I contacted the fan who had commented on Mia’s Weibo post before. The original post containing photos of Mia and the mysterious man going home late at night could no longer be found. But based on the information she provided, I tracked down the gossip account that had posted it. They refused to disclose any information, saying they couldn’t afford to offend the person involved. What kind of person would have such great influence? Before I could figure it out, I saw my own name trending on social media.

I do antique restoration work and have indeed made a small name for myself in the industry. I’ve also dabbled a bit in the antiques and painting circles, but I’m really not connected to entertainment gossip at all. Several trending topics on Weibo in a row were clearly targeting me specifically. The gossip accounts not only released my information and social media accounts, but also directly attacked my family. My family had made their fortune through antique research generations ago, but my father’s generation had switched to real estate and no longer dealt with those items. The poster persisted, saying my family’s assets were questionable, and even the fairness of my mother’s position as a university professor was debatable. There was no real evidence, but their ability to set the tone and stir up emotions was strong. In the blink of an eye, my account was flooded. Amidst a sea of insults, there were even some unconventional voices accusing my family of using money and power to coerce aspiring youth, disregarding law and morality. I had a good idea who they were referring to, and found the whole thing rather absurd. After carefully screenshotting and saving the content, poster information, and comments, I prepared to call my parents to give them a heads up. When I returned to the main page, the posts that had been at the top suddenly dropped to the bottom. I wasn’t sure if Zachary would protect me, but I was certain he couldn’t do something like this. I sounded out my parents, then contacted a few well-connected friends, but they were all clueless. In the end, it was my childhood friend Sophia who provided me with a clue. “Are you still in touch with Gabriel Hughes?” Those three words were like pulling a trigger, setting off an underground explosion as memories came flooding back. Ah, Gabriel Hughes. If it was him, he certainly had that kind of power.

Zachary had a work dinner tonight. Worried that my pregnancy nausea would make me dislike the food our housekeeper Mrs. Wang cooked, he specially got off work early to come home and prepare dinner for me. “I asked Henry to come along to help me fend off some of the drinks.” Henry’s car was parked outside waiting. While Zachary was busy in the kitchen, I invited Henry to come in and sit for a while. “Who would have thought? The boss is so stern and decisive at work, but at home he puts on an apron. It’s only for you, sister-in-law.” “This tea has such a unique flavor. Is it another one you brought back from your travels, sister-in-law?” I smiled without answering, and poured him another cup. Every time Zachary went on a business trip, he would bring me gifts. Sometimes luxury items, other times local specialties. The time before last, he brought me back a tea set and some locally produced tea leaves. It was also that time when he first went out of contact late at night. I was so angry I immediately scheduled an abortion for the next day, and even considered divorce. Zachary rushed back overnight and brought Henry as a witness. He said that during those few hours they were unreachable, they had been forced to drink a lot and both passed out, not realizing their phones had died. “So—” I took a sip of tea, sweet with a hint of bitterness and endless aftertaste. “You’ve never had this tea before.” After Zachary and Henry left, I set out as well. I drove Zachary’s car straight to Mia’s neighborhood. As Neo had said, the parking gate lifted automatically, and the security guard at the entrance smiled and welcomed me home. I parked the car under a tree. My phone vibrated with a message from Zachary. [Honey, I’ve arrived.] He also sent a photo of the dinner party and the location. I didn’t open it, because a minute later, he got out of a car and headed straight for Mia’s villa. I watched as he lightly pressed his fingertip to the door lock. The fingerprint was recognized successfully, and he pulled the door open to enter. Dark clouds gradually gathered, and the air felt humid and oppressive. By the time I caught my breath, I was already standing at Mia’s front door. The smart lock looked incredibly familiar – it was the exact same model we used at home. I instinctively entered our home password – the date Zachary and I got together. The door opened.

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For three years of marriage, Olivia and I maintained a polite distance, appearing to be the perfect couple in high society’s eyes. But on our wedding anniversary, as Olivia lay beneath me, the name she called out was that of her first love. In that moment, I realized our contract marriage had reached its end. But I wasn’t ready to let go. I used every connection I had to try and ruin Ethan, but not only did I fail to harm him, I ended up alienating everyone around me. Because of this, Olivia had someone lock me in a dark basement for three days. She knew I suffered from severe claustrophobia. Three days later, when I was finally released from the basement, a divorce agreement was thrown in my face. Olivia looked down at me, nearly driven mad, with contempt in her eyes. “Jack, apologize to Ethan, then sign this!” 0 I lay on the ground, gasping for air, my body drenched as if I’d been doused with water. I’d developed severe claustrophobia after an incident in my childhood. Even now, I needed at least one light on when I slept at night. Olivia knew this. Our mansion even had several backup solar generators in case of power outages. Yet she had locked me in a basement for three days because of Ethan. The first day, I screamed until I lost my voice. The second day, I clawed at the walls until my fingers bled. The third day… I couldn’t bear to remember. Those three days were hell on earth. Olivia frowned, kicking me lightly with her foot. “Jack, stop playing dead. Get up and sign the divorce papers, then go apologize to Ethan!” I struggled to my feet, using all my strength to shout at her. “Olivia, have you lost your mind?! You know I have claustrophobia!” “Three days! I almost died in that basement!” My voice was hoarse and painful, filled with fear and disbelief. Olivia looked at me with disdain, letting out a cold laugh. “Hmph, stop pretending. Ethan told me that someone with real claustrophobia couldn’t last even a second in that environment.” “Besides, you’re not dead, are you?” “Looks like Ethan was right. You’ve been lying to me all these years. But I’m giving you some assets in the divorce out of consideration for our past.” Her eyes narrowed with disgust. “Otherwise, you’d be leaving with nothing!” “So hurry up and sign it, then go apologize to Ethan. My patience is wearing thin.” With that, Olivia turned and left, not sparing me another glance. I knelt on the ground, watching her retreating figure, my eyes filled with disappointment and sorrow. I picked up the divorce agreement from the floor, my emotions in turmoil. Did I love Olivia? The answer was yes, at least before she locked me in that basement. Thinking of this, I hesitated no longer, resolving to sign the divorce papers. Sitting in a chair, I turned on my phone. An overwhelming sadness washed over me. Missing for three days, and not a single person had tried to contact me. How ironic… I shook my head with a bitter smile. Just as I was about to put the phone down, it rang. “Hello? Is this Mr. Lin?” “Yes, it’s me.” The voice on the other end noticeably relaxed, then continued. “Mr. Lin, we’ve finally reached you. Do you remember the physical examination you had at our hospital last week?” “Yes, are the results in?” “They are, but… the situation is complicated. We may need you to come in so we can discuss it in person.” My heart tightened. I asked, “Can you… give me a brief overview of the situation?” There was a moment of silence on the other end, then the voice spoke in a low tone. “Mr. Lin, you… don’t have much time left.” 0

Late-stage stomach cancer. The doctor said I had at most six months left. If I went abroad for treatment, there was a one in a thousand chance of recovery. As I walked out of the hospital, I looked up at the sun, staring until my eyes watered from the pain. This warm sunlight would soon no longer be mine to enjoy. As I stood there, my phone rang. I rubbed my eyes and answered. Olivia’s angry voice came through. “Jack! Where the hell have you been?!” “Didn’t I tell you to come apologize to Ethan right away?” “Get your ass back here now!” Listening to this barrage of words, my heart clenched in pain. “Something came up.” The voice on the other end suddenly fell silent, then her breathing became rapid. A few seconds later, Olivia spoke through gritted teeth. “Fine, fine, fine! You dare to talk back to me now!” “Jack, I don’t care what you’re dealing with.” “Even if you were dying!” “You need to come back right now! This instant! And get on your knees to apologize to Ethan!” [But I really am dying] I didn’t say these words out loud. I didn’t want her to know. Since I had decided to leave, there was no need for any further entanglement with her. I responded affirmatively to the phone, then hung up. On the other end, Olivia stood frozen, listening to the dial tone. She slowly turned to look at the man sitting on the couch, speaking in a disbelieving tone. “He… he dared to hang up on me?!” Crack! Olivia, her face contorted, smashed the phone on the ground, shrieking. “Jack actually dared to hang up on me!!” “How dare he!!” “I’ll kill him! Kill him!!!” Olivia stomped on the shattered phone repeatedly until it was crushed to pieces. Seeing that she had finished venting, Ethan walked over and took her into his arms, gently patting her back. “Olivia, it’s not worth getting angry over someone like him.” “Even if he died, no one would care.” Olivia pouted, snuggling against Ethan. “But I can’t stand seeing him bully you.” Ethan lightly caressed her face, chuckling softly. “It’s alright. I don’t take someone like him seriously.” “How about this – if he apologizes this time, I’ll let bygones be bygones. What do you think?” Olivia breathed in Ethan’s scent greedily, her face flushed. “Ethan, you’re so kind. That’s what I love about you. While that loser isn’t back yet, why don’t we…” 0

I returned to the mansion. As expected, Ethan was there. Olivia was nestled in Ethan’s arms, her face still flushed. Seeing me return, Olivia immediately stood up and walked towards me. Slap! The sound of a slap rang out as Olivia coldly looked at me and said, “Jack, so you finally decided to come back?” “Now get on your knees and apologize to Ethan!” “Let me tell you, Ethan is being generous. After you apologize, he’s willing to let the past go, considering you’ve been by my side for a few years.” “So hurry up! Ethan and I have plans later. Don’t waste our time!” Olivia’s voice was full of disgust, as if what she was saying was some kind of favor to me. I ignored her. From the moment this woman locked me in that basement, any love I had for her began to fade away. I looked at Ethan sitting on the couch and said to him, “Looks like you’re feeling pretty confident now?” “Why wouldn’t I be?” Ethan took a sip of his red wine and said mockingly, “Your so-called friends were only interested in the benefits you could bring them. I can offer more.” “Olivia never loved you. She only saw you as my replacement. But now I’m back.” With each sentence, Ethan took a step towards me. He came close, patted my face, and said, “As for family, you’re just an orphan whose parents are dead.” “I won’t make things difficult for you. Just kneel down, apologize to me, sign the divorce papers, and you can get lost.” Having said this, he sat back down on the couch, swirling his wine glass, looking at me with a victorious smile. I took a deep breath, suppressing my anger. The doctor had warned me not to get upset before I could go abroad for treatment, or it might worsen my condition. If that happened, I might… “Ethan, I’ll sign the divorce papers, but I won’t apologize!” As soon as I finished speaking, a shrill voice came from behind me. “Jack! Who do you think you are to refuse to apologize?!” Olivia looked crazed, a sight that filled me with sadness. She had never been like this for me. She came up to me and slapped me again. I didn’t say anything. When she tried to slap me a third time, I caught her hand. Olivia’s eyes widened in shock. She glared at me and said, “You! You dare to stop me!!!” I looked at her coldly and said, “Why wouldn’t I dare to stop you?” “After that last slap, any feelings between us are completely over.” “From now on, we have no connection whatsoever.” “I hope you won’t bother me again in the future.” “There’s still a week left in the divorce cooling-off period. I’ll sign the agreement after seven days.” With that, I turned and left the mansion. Olivia stood there, stunned by my words. When she came to her senses, her face twisted in anger. She turned to Ethan and said through gritted teeth, “Ethan, I want him to pay!” Ethan narrowed his eyes, staring at the direction I had left. “Don’t worry, Olivia. He will.” 0

Over the next two days, I moved all my belongings out of the mansion and into the house my parents had left me. Olivia and Ethan didn’t cause me any more trouble after that day, but someone I never expected came to see me. “Jack, long time no see.” I looked at the woman standing outside my door, a hint of nostalgia in my eyes. “How did you find me?” Luna, Olivia’s half-sister. Our fathers had been close friends, and Luna and I had known each other since childhood. Five years ago, she went abroad, and I hadn’t seen her since. Luna chuckled and said, “I’ve heard everything. Looks like the five years I’ve been gone haven’t been kind to you.” “How did you…!” I looked at her in surprise, then shook my head resignedly. Of course, my issues with Olivia had become known to everyone around us. With Luna’s connections, it wouldn’t be hard for her to find out. “Weren’t you abroad? Why did you suddenly come back?” Hearing my question, Luna rolled her eyes at me and said, “If I hadn’t come back, you might really be dead by now.” She looked at me reproachfully. “Do you know how many forms I had to fill out to bring you the special medication? It was such a hassle.” I stared at her in shock and asked, “How did you know about my illness?!” She pushed past me into the house and said, “The doctor who diagnosed you is my senior from medical school. He contacted me earlier saying there was a late-stage stomach cancer patient here and asked if I could take over the case. I looked into it and found out it was you.” “I heard you and my sister still have a week left in your divorce cooling-off period. So, I rushed back from abroad to avoid delaying your treatment.” Luna sat on the couch, spreading her hands and looking at me. Hearing what she said, I wanted to thank her, but when I opened my mouth, no sound came out. Seeing me like this, she came over to me, gently caressing my face, her voice soft. “Don’t thank me. If it weren’t for you reaching out to help me when the Yus were in trouble back then, the Yu family would be long gone by now.” “From that moment on, I swore in my heart that I would always stand by your side. It’s a pity you ended up choosing Olivia in the end.” “I…” She cut me off and continued, “But now my chance has come. So, for my sake, please live on.” Even if I had a thousand things to say, in the end, they all condensed into one sentence. “I promise you.” I looked into Luna’s eyes and said firmly. Then I remembered something and told her, “By the way, I left something back at the mansion. I need to go get it. Wait for me here.” … When I returned to the mansion, Olivia and Ethan weren’t there. I didn’t think much of it and went straight to my room. But the moment I opened the door, I lost consciousness. When I opened my eyes again, darkness surrounded me. That familiar feeling of fear instantly washed over me like a tidal wave. My heart started racing, and cold sweat soaked through my clothes in an instant. I immediately felt around, hoping to find the door, but after groping for a while, I realized that I was surrounded by walls on all sides! The fear grew stronger and stronger, and I could feel my strength slowly leaving my body. I started pounding on the walls like a madman. I’d rather die from cancer than in this pitch-black space. Blood ran down my face, my fists were raw to the bone from hitting the walls, and due to the extreme stress, the blood vessels in my eyes burst, causing me to cry tears of blood. But still, no one came. I screamed and shouted until my voice became hoarse, until… I could no longer make a sound. At that moment, I understood. It was Olivia and Ethan. They wanted me dead, but they couldn’t kill me themselves. But who would care about a terminally ill cancer patient who accidentally fell into an abandoned well? Yes, I was at the bottom of an abandoned well, with a stone slab pressed on top. I curled up at the bottom of the well, like a dying maggot, slowly being consumed by fear. One day, two days, three days… My consciousness was slowly fading. In my delirium, I thought I heard Luna’s voice. “I’m sorry, Luna. I broke my promise…”

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After three years of marriage without getting pregnant, I finally conceived twins through IVF after eight attempts. But just three months into the pregnancy, I was diagnosed with a rare disease that threatened my life. The doctor suggested I terminate the pregnancy to start treatment as soon as possible, but my husband Lucas flatly refused. “Chloe, you’ve been through so much to conceive them. I can’t bear to let all your efforts go to waste. I’ll bring in the top specialist, Dr. Mitchell, to oversee your case. He’ll make sure you and the babies stay safe, and you’ll be able to watch them grow up.” I agreed with his decision, thinking that if I really died, at least the children would be there to keep him company. But when I was six months pregnant, I accidentally overheard a conversation between Lucas and his brothers. “As expected of our bro Lucas, to come up with the idea of having Chloe be a surrogate for Olivia!” Lucas replied casually, “Well, Olivia suddenly returned to the Jiang family. Otherwise, I would have married her. Since Chloe took her place, she might as well do something useful.” “Aren’t you worried she might not survive the surgery, given her condition?” Lucas kissed Olivia beside him and said nonchalantly, “I’ve already invited Dr. Mitchell. Nothing will go wrong. As long as she behaves, considering she’s having children for Olivia, I don’t mind letting her keep the title of Mrs. Lin.” I listened with a chill running down my spine, my whole body trembling. So, the children I was desperately trying to bring into this world weren’t even mine. 0

“If you weren’t so delicate and afraid of pain, we wouldn’t have needed Chloe to carry our babies,” Lucas teased, looking at Olivia, who pouted at him playfully. He chuckled softly and pulled Olivia into his arms, saying with utmost tenderness, “But it’s okay. You were in tears just from freezing your eggs. I couldn’t bear to see you go through childbirth.” The others around them cheered and teased about how loving they were. Olivia frowned, suddenly remembering something. “I’m such a wimp when it comes to pain. Come to think of it, Chloe doesn’t seem to be afraid of pain at all. She went through IVF eight times without shedding a tear!” Lucas scoffed, “How can you compare yourself to her? You were raised like a princess. If it weren’t for Grandpa insisting I marry her, how could I let you stay with me without a proper title?” The others comforted them, “A marriage certificate is just a piece of paper. It doesn’t affect your relationship. But for Chloe, that certificate means something different. Having her as a surrogate is better than using a stranger – at least we know her background. Plus, she’s so eager to marry into the Lin family that she’s more obedient than a dog. The Lin family won’t starve her, so it’s like keeping a pet – no big deal.” In the private room, their contempt and disdain for me were unconcealed. The humiliation and suffocation I felt chilled me to the bone. I caressed my belly, where the life I had once looked forward to the most was growing. But now they’re saying the child I’m risking my life to protect isn’t mine? For this child, I gave up my beloved career, endured morning sickness and hair loss, watched my belly swell like a balloon, and aged beyond recognition. Not to mention the eight rounds of IVF, countless egg retrievals, and mountains of medication I went through, all while facing the fear of possible death. And now they’re saying everything I did was a joke? That the child isn’t even mine? Their noisy chatter continued, but all I could hear was a ringing in my ears. Was it my mistake to become the Jiang family’s daughter? Before meeting my birth parents, I never imagined that the story of switched-at-birth daughters would happen to me. I certainly didn’t expect that after the Jiang parents found me, they would use a vacation as an excuse to avoid the awkwardness and flee abroad. My biological brother publicly declared that Olivia was his only sister. Only old Mr. Lin stubbornly insisted on tradition, believing that the engagement was set with the Jiang family’s only daughter, and forced Lucas to marry me. I thought Lucas was my savior, rescuing me from a cage. But it turns out he only led me into another hell! 0

The truth was so cruel it bordered on absurdity, making me flee home like an escapee, my thoughts in chaos. I received another anonymous video on my phone, showing the continuation of the scene in the private room. One of Lucas’s followers suddenly asked, “Do you think if we tell Chloe the babies aren’t hers right after she gives birth, she’ll be so shocked she ends up in critical condition?” “You know, she seems to genuinely love Lucas. She’s willing to have kids while sick. It’s a shame she can’t read the room. Lucas and Olivia have been childhood sweethearts. Who does she think she is, barging in between them!” Another person chimed in, “It would be quite a show if we really told her. She’d probably have a breakdown.” Lucas slowly exhaled a smoke ring and said leisurely, “If you want to know how she’ll react, we can try it when the time comes. Maybe she’ll find out before giving birth.” The others mocked, “Even if she finds out early, she’ll still have to give birth. They’re Lucas’s children after all. She doesn’t have the guts to anger Lucas.” “True, she’s as pliable as clay and such a bootlicker to Lucas. Back then, she was so eager to secure the marriage that she constantly groveled before Lucas.” Olivia teased from the side, “You guys seem so concerned about Chloe. Why don’t one of you try pursuing her after Lucas divorces her? She’s been starved for affection since childhood, so she’s easy to handle. Plus, she’s about to be a divorced woman with a short life expectancy, so you won’t have to worry about long-term commitment.” “Speaking of which, she’s carrying twins. Her belly looks terrifying. I wonder what she’ll look like after giving birth!” Upon hearing this, the men all expressed disgust and quickly refused. “No thanks, I don’t want that kind of blessing. Just looking at that belly, I’m afraid I’d have nightmares for half a month.” “Don’t joke like that. There are so many pretty girls out there waiting for my attention!” They spoke crudely, but Lucas just smiled faintly, seemingly indifferent. With a “thud,” my phone fell to the ground. I didn’t realize when my back had broken out in a cold sweat. Only then did I discover that I had never truly seen the man who spoke to me so gently and cared for me so attentively by my side. I remember when the IVF was successful, Lucas’s face was full of excitement and concern. He carefully touched my belly and said softly, “Don’t trouble Mommy, okay?” He would also invite a bunch of chefs to prepare various dishes for me when I had morning sickness and swelling. “Chloe, pregnancy is hard on you. For the sake of the babies, think about what you’d like to eat. Whatever you want, I’ll make it happen.” “These two troublemakers, when they’re born, I’ll definitely help you discipline them.” I thought he cared about me, but now I know it was all for the babies. Do they all think I’ll resign myself to giving birth to these children? Well, this time, I refuse. 0

A month ago, news came from Country A that there had been a breakthrough in treating my rare disease. They asked if I would be willing to volunteer for their drug development program. I didn’t agree at first for the sake of the babies, but they said this was a rare opportunity that might offer a chance for successful treatment. Perhaps out of a desire to survive, I inexplicably kept their contact information, not realizing it would come in handy now. I messaged them, and they quickly responded, agreeing to accept me as a volunteer for their research team. Thinking of the babies in my belly, I called my brother Ryan, using pregnancy mood swings as an excuse to say I wanted to travel alone to Dali. As expected, as soon as the call connected, I was met with a rebuke. “You’re already six months along and still can’t settle down? What if something happens to the babies? You’re being ridiculous.” I didn’t care about his reaction. I only told him to prevent them from searching for me too quickly and interfering with my plans if I suddenly disappeared. But I didn’t expect that my brother, who usually couldn’t be bothered with me, would show up at my door. “Chloe, can’t you understand the situation? Do you know how important these babies are?” Seeing his unusual behavior, my heart sank, but I forced myself to ask, “How important?” His eyes flickered, and he continued, “Babies conceived after so many IVF attempts – you know better than I do how important they are.” “Then do you know that I’m sick, and these babies might cost me my life?” He blurted out without thinking, “The Jiang family has access to the best medical teams. Don’t scare yourself. It’s not good for the babies.” Just then, Lucas pushed open the door, reeking of alcohol and carrying a bag of supplements. As soon as he entered, he handed me the bag, saying, “Chloe, I’m back!” “These are from Olivia. She says they’re good for the babies. She’s so eager to be an aunt.” Eager indeed! Olivia, who had always been dissatisfied with me, was now sending supplements, baby clothes, and even imported bird’s nest soup that she used to say I didn’t deserve – all because of these two babies. As the Jiang family’s biological daughter, I could only enjoy what should have been rightfully mine through the babies’ influence. And even that was just scraps from an impostor. How ironic! Lucas noticed Ryan and visibly startled before affectionately patting my hair. “It’s getting late. You should go rest. I’ll sleep in the study tonight to avoid the alcohol smell bothering you.” The lipstick mark on his collar was glaringly obvious, and the alcohol smell was mixed with Olivia’s signature perfume, making me nauseous. I didn’t say anything, just took the bag and hurried back to the bedroom. I heard him say to Ryan, “Ryan, you’ve come at the right time. I have some business to discuss with you about that land in the west of the city.” Seeing the two of them heading straight for the study, I threw the bag on the bed and quietly walked to the study door. The first thing I heard was Ryan’s voice: “Did you slip up about the babies? Why is she suddenly saying she’s in a bad mood and wants to travel alone?” “You know she always puts the babies first. She’s never mentioned anything risky before.” Lucas pondered for a moment: “It’s impossible. Maybe it’s just hormones affecting her. You’re overreacting. These are Olivia’s babies. I’ve been very careful. There’s no way she could have found out…” I couldn’t hear the rest of what he said. My vision blurred. My suspicions were correct. Ryan knew the truth too! Everyone knew. Only I was fooled like an idiot. Whether it’s the babies, Lucas, or my family, I don’t want any of it this time.

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Six years with Chloe, and in the end, I still couldn’t compare to her first love. The 88th time her first love, Asher, stood on a rooftop, claiming depression, she shoved a fake divorce agreement at me. “What are you waiting for? Sign it, now!” I knew it was fake, but I still refused. I begged her to find another way. But Chloe stubbornly shook her head, yelling at me, “Asher is literally dying! Do you even care about our marriage? Have you no sympathy? I was so wrong about you. I should have married Asher back then!” I froze. She said she regretted marrying me? I shook my head, a bitter laugh escaping me. Of course. She’d never loved me. So I decided I wouldn’t cling on anymore. I secretly swapped out the fake divorce agreement for a real one, signed it, and then turned around and married someone else in a wedding for the ages. Chloe watched me sign the divorce papers, her face instantly changing. She leaned in and kissed my cheek, bubbling with excitement. “Baby, you’re amazing!” “Don’t worry, I’m just faking it for Asher. I’m still your loving wife.” I could see it clearly: her excitement wasn’t about me. It was because she could finally be with Asher openly, without needing any more excuses. Clutching the divorce agreement, she didn’t hesitate. She turned and headed straight for the rooftop upstairs. As she turned, her arm brushed against my leg, which was still recovering. I cried out, a sharp pang shooting through my heart, followed by a dull, persistent ache. She probably forgot I was still lying in this hospital bed, my leg injured from saving her, needing constant care. I gave a bitter laugh. Of course. In her heart, compared to Asher, I was nothing. Besides, we were divorced now. I didn’t expect her to take care of me. After she left, I opened a super popular live stream. On screen, Asher was on the rooftop. Everyone was tense, trying to talk him down, but it was useless. Then, Chloe suddenly appeared in the frame. She eagerly pulled out the divorce papers and held them up to Asher. “Asher, look! I divorced him!” “You’re the one I love most. Please come down, okay? I’ll stay by your side forever, never leaving.” My fingers paused. *That* was her real truth, wasn’t it? As she spoke, she slowly moved closer. She reached him, ignoring the knife in his hand, and pulled him into a tight embrace. She was always so meticulous about her skin, she wouldn’t even let me gently touch her during intimate moments. Yet now, for Asher, her collarbone was grazed. The two embraced tightly, weeping with joy, and shared a passionate kiss that lasted for ten minutes. The live stream chat exploded with viewers calling it “true love” and shipping them relentlessly. I couldn’t watch another second. I switched off the screen. I squeezed my eyes shut, my entire body trembling. Nurses came in to change my dressing, chatting loudly about gossip. “That couple on the rooftop today, the girl was so brave! She dumped her unloved ex-husband and fearlessly pursued true love.” “Oh, you know, I’ve seen it all, and that girl probably married her ex for all sorts of reasons, but definitely not for love!” Hearing them, it hit me. It was true. Chloe had never loved me. I had just loved her too much, living in a fantasy of love, a one-sided devotion. Suddenly, I heard sounds from outside the door. It was Chloe, holding Asher’s hand, coming back. They looked like a new couple, her face flushed with a sweet bashfulness. In all the years we were together, I had never seen that expression on her. So, this is how she blushes for someone she truly loves. Even though we were divorced, that moment still felt incredibly bitter. As they passed my room, our eyes met. Chloe looked a little guilty, but she still linked arms with Asher and walked into the room next door.

Asher was in the room right next to mine, and the soundproofing wasn’t great, so I could hear everything they said. As soon as their door closed, I heard the sounds of their passionate kissing. Their kisses were intense, punctuated by Chloe’s soft moans. “Chloe, you’re completely mine now.” “When was I ever not yours? Asher, I’ve missed you so much all these years. Every single moment I spent with Noah, I was thinking of you.” I couldn’t bear to listen anymore. I opened my music app, trying to distract myself. But my tears fell despite myself, soaking the pillow. That night, Chloe came over. She carried a lunchbox and handed it to me. Then she took my hand, her eyes filled with a manufactured helplessness. “Noah, did you see the live stream today?” “Yeah.” Her grip tightened. “You know we were just putting on a show, right? That kiss was just to soothe him.” “Yeah, I get it.” She suddenly hugged me tightly. “Noah, you’re really too good.” “Quick, try the food I made myself. It’s all your favorites.” She opened the lunchbox for me. The moment I saw the dishes, I froze. Every single dish was loaded with chili peppers. I had gastritis and couldn’t handle anything spicy. It was clearly food she’d meticulously prepared for Asher. Before, no matter how late I worked, or even when I overworked to the point of stomach bleeding, she had never personally made me a single bowl of porridge. Whenever I cautiously asked her if she could make me a soothing stomach porridge, she’d refuse, saying her hands were for playing the piano, not for household chores. But for another man, she was willing to cook and care for him with such devotion. She saw me hesitate to pick up my fork, so she picked up a piece of food to feed me, but I pushed her hand away. I frowned. “Chloe, have you forgotten? I have gastritis.” She seemed to suddenly remember, putting down the fork. “Oh, right. Sorry, Noah, I got caught up.” I didn’t say anything, my heart aching again. Just then, Asher suddenly walked in. He wrapped an arm around Chloe, looking at me with triumph. “Noah, Chloe already divorced you! Don’t cling to her like a pathetic dog anymore. Don’t be so pathetic.” He glanced at the food on the table, scoffing, “Oh, spoke of a dog, and here you are. You’re only fit to eat my leftovers.” Chloe looked flustered. To avoid Asher’s suspicion, she suddenly glared at me. “I came here today to tell you that we’re divorced. I need to give Asher a sense of security. Don’t bother me again.” Then she took Asher’s hand and left. I looked at the food on the table and let out a self-deprecating laugh. My mind drifted back to Chloe and my past. I first met her in a dessert shop. She was working part-time to pay for her mother’s medical expenses. The moment I saw her, I was drawn to her resilience. I began to pursue her relentlessly, even paying her mother’s expensive medical bills. She slowly began to accept me. At the time, I was ecstatic, thinking it was love. Only now, I realize, perhaps it was just gratitude. Because of the vast difference in our family backgrounds, my father adamantly opposed our relationship. To marry her, I cut ties with my family. Leaving home, I became a penniless young man. To continue paying for her mother’s medical expenses and to allow Chloe to pursue her dream of becoming a pianist, I started working day and night. I don’t know how many times I collapsed from exhaustion in the warehouse. I drank until my stomach bled to secure deals, and even had cardiac arrest due to severe lack of sleep. Despite all this, I never allowed Chloe to suffer in the slightest. She could just chase her dreams. After I successfully founded my own company, I gave Chloe all my unwavering affection. But her heart never truly opened up to me. She had a first love she couldn’t forget. Before, I thought it didn’t matter. As long as I gave her enough love, she would eventually make a place for me in her heart. It was only after this incident that I understood: it was useless.

My mom called. For years, she had been trying to convince me to go home and apologize to my dad. I knew he couldn’t stand Chloe, and if I went back, he would definitely demand I divorce her. That’s why I hadn’t returned home all these years. But this time, I agreed. My mom was shocked by my decision. “You’ve really come to your senses?” “Yeah.” During these days in the hospital, Chloe hadn’t visited me once, because she was busy traveling with Asher. Every day, I saw different scenic photos on Asher’s social media feed. Before, no matter how much I begged Chloe, she would never travel with me, saying she had to practice piano and couldn’t slack off. Now it seemed, accompanying Asher was probably the most important thing in her life. I laughed at myself, then turned off my phone. When my leg was mostly healed, I was discharged from the hospital. I went back to the small house Chloe and I shared first. I took out the divorce agreement and placed it on her piano. She often made time to practice, and she would see the divorce papers right away when she did. I stared at the divorce papers, a strange anticipation swelling within me. What expression would Chloe have when she saw them? After all, a *real* divorce was never part of her plan. I sat blankly on the sofa for I don’t know how long, until the door opened. Chloe was back from her trip. Asher was with her. Seeing me, Chloe looked surprised. “Why are you here? We’re already divorced, aren’t we?” She vigorously gave me a look, wanting me to play along. “Just came to pack my things.” I didn’t need to play along. Every word was sincere. Asher looked like he was about to make a scene, so Chloe quickly soothed him, her eyes soft and tender. Then she snapped at me, “Don’t just come and go from this house anymore! Asher gets upset whenever he sees you. Don’t you know that?” Her expression didn’t seem fake. “Chloe, why are his things still everywhere in this house?” “Isn’t this supposed to be *our* home now?” Asher looked at Chloe with a pitiful expression. I hadn’t expected her to let Asher live in our marital home. I was actually curious to see what she would do next. Chloe froze for a few seconds, but her next action chilled me to the bone. She actually ripped up our wedding photos! She reached out and tore every single one of our wedding photos, tossing the pieces to the floor. Her movements were swift and decisive, without a hint of hesitation. Then she rushed into the bedroom and threw my few remaining clothes at me. “Take your things and get out! Don’t ever let me see you again!” My mind went blank. I couldn’t think. It was only when Chloe threw something at me that I was jolted back to reality. It hit the floor with a crisp sound. I looked down. It was our wedding ring. I had taken design classes for two months just to create this ring for her, to give her a perfect proposal experience. To put on a show, she could go to such lengths. No, at this point, I couldn’t even tell if she was still putting on a show. “Take your things and get out!” she shrieked in my face. Asher looked at me with a triumphant smirk, as if he’d won a grand victory. I stared at that ring for a long time, until my eyes burned. Finally, I let out a bitter laugh. “Fine. I’ll have movers come and clear everything out.” Then I turned and walked away. And I would never come back. I drove to my old family home. My mom was already waiting for me at the door. We hadn’t seen each other in years. The moment she saw me, tears streamed down her face.

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My life took a turn after I got pregnant. I became the most envied woman in Harbor City. My brother, Julian Hayes, was the richest man in Harbor City. My husband, Derek Thorne, was the second richest. Throughout my entire pregnancy, they cancelled all their plans to be with me for prenatal check-ups. They spoiled me beyond belief. Everyone said I was a princess, cherished in the palms of my brother and husband. But on the day I went into labor, I suddenly developed an amniotic fluid embolism. My condition became critical. The doctor, covered in sweat, held the consent form, but he couldn’t reach my brother or my husband. In despair, I received a video. It showed them on a beach, having a barbecue, full of laughter and cheerful chatter. My brother, Julian Hayes, was diligently holding an umbrella for my stepmother, Eleanor Pierce. And my husband, Derek Thorne, was intimately embracing my stepmother’s daughter, Valerie Pierce. In the video, my brother chuckled, “His phone’s off. Just waiting for the good news that she and the baby would be gone.” Derek Thorne stroked Valerie’s pregnant belly, his eyes full of doting affection. “Aurora Hayes, that idiot, still thinks the baby is mine.” “She has no idea that the man sleeping next to her every night is just some guy I hired from a club.” I lay on the delivery bed, my mind fading, my hatred blazing. Just as I was about to give up, the nurse suddenly slipped my phone into my hand. It was an anonymous text message— A paternity test report between me and Caleb Vance. Below it, there was a line of text: “Aurora, hold on. I’m outside the operating room. I’ll sign for you. I want both you and the baby!”

“That stupid woman is finally going to die. Saves me the trouble of pretending. His phone’s off. Just waiting for the good news that she and the baby would be gone.” My brother’s voice was full of sick pleasure. My husband, Derek Thorne, stroked Valerie Pierce’s pregnant belly, his eyes full of doting affection. “Aurora Hayes, that idiot, still thinks the baby is mine.” “She has no idea that the man sleeping next to her every night is just some guy I hired from a club. Just thinking about touching her made me sick.” I lay on the delivery bed, listening to my husband and brother’s voices in the video. My whole body was ice cold, and waves of gut-wrenching pain tore through my abdomen. My family, my loved ones, the people I had cherished so deeply, turned out to be nothing but devils in human skin. Hatred intertwined with the excruciating pain in my belly, threatening to tear me apart. My phone buzzed. It was a provocative message from Valerie. [Sister, you can die in peace.] [Don’t worry, I’ll take good care of your brother and husband for you.] [Oh, and by the way, your child—if he’s lucky enough to survive, I’ll raise him myself. I’ll make sure he knows from a young age what a low-class woman his birth mother was, hahahaha!] Valerie’s messages kept coming, her malicious words piercing my heart like daggers. “Pfft—” I spat out a mouthful of blood, staining the pristine white sheets crimson. The monitor let out a sharp, piercing shriek. “The patient is crashing! Hemorrhaging!” “Prepare for defibrillation!” Just as my consciousness was about to completely shatter, Caleb Vance tightly gripped my hand. “Aurora Hayes, look at me!” His face was etched with anxiety and sweat, but his voice was unusually firm. “Aurora, listen to me, you can’t give up!” “For the baby, for yourself, live!” “Don’t you want to know the truth? Don’t you want revenge? Live, and I’ll help you!” “Deliver this baby. I will be his father. I will help you reclaim everything that belongs to you!” His voice slammed into my heart. Yes, I couldn’t die. I hadn’t even seen those four beasts kneeling before me, begging for mercy and repentance! How could I let my child be born motherless, falling into the hands of those demons! I bit my lip hard, using all my strength to follow the doctor’s instructions. “Ah—!” I couldn’t stop a primal scream from escaping my lips. “It’s a boy! He’s here!” The nurse’s voice came, full of joyful surprise. My taut nerves suddenly relaxed, and I plunged into complete darkness. When I woke up again, I was lying in a quiet, comfortable VIP hospital room. The nurse saw me wake up, came over to adjust my blanket, and said with a happy tone, “Miss Hayes, you’re awake? That’s wonderful. You and the baby are both safe, and he’s a very healthy boy.” Mother and son safe. My lips trembled slightly, and tears silently streamed down my face. Thank goodness, my baby and I had pulled through from the brink of death. “Where’s the baby?” I asked, my voice hoarse. “The little master is in the incubator. Dr. Vance said he’d bring him over for you to see once you woke up. You’re incredibly lucky. We were all so scared that day.” I reached out and held the baby, but my mind kept replaying the video and text messages I received during labor. Every single image was like a knife, slowly twisting in my heart. My brother, my beloved husband, had been putting on an act from beginning to end. They had been enjoying my selfless devotion and love while secretly plotting to kill me. And I? I had been lost in the web of lies they wove, foolishly believing I was the happiest person alive. How laughable! I forced myself to calm down, took out my phone, and dialed a detective’s number. “Help me investigate two people: Derek Thorne, and my brother Julian Hayes. I want to know all the dirty secrets between them and Eleanor and Valerie Pierce.”

The next afternoon, the detective emailed me the investigation files. I leaned back in bed and opened the documents, my heart sinking little by little into an icy abyss. It turned out that Julian Hayes, the brother I had called for over twenty years, was the illegitimate son of my father, Richard Hayes, and my stepmother, Eleanor Pierce. My mother was pregnant with me when my father cheated with Eleanor. To give Julian a legitimate place in the Hayes family, my father publicly claimed Eleanor was a distant cousin and had her move into the Hayes mansion with Julian. Julian had known his true identity since he was eight years old. All these years, he enjoyed my mother’s unwavering and meticulous nurturing while secretly scheming with Eleanor to seize the entire Hayes family fortune. And Derek Thorne had been having an affair with Valerie Pierce long before he and I got married. He had deliberately approached me and married me only for the sake of his family’s business and the massive fortune under my name. They had calculated my due date, planning that “accident” to ensure I died on the delivery table. Then, they could legitimately seize everything I owned. I gripped my phone, my knuckles white. I forced back the pain and scrolled down, only to discover that my mother’s death three years ago wasn’t an accident. Eleanor and Valerie had deliberately provoked her, causing her heart attack, which ultimately led to her death in the hospital. I remembered my mother holding my hand on her deathbed, urging me to be careful of Julian and Eleanor and Valerie Pierce. At the time, I thought she was just afraid I’d be bullied by my stepmother, and I even reassured her that my brother was very good to me. Now, thinking back, I was ridiculously stupid! My mother had suspected something, but I had been too immersed in their lies, played for a fool by those two wolves. Since they didn’t want to be my family, why should I cling to them, begging them to come back with my child in tow? My child, absolutely cannot live in that kind of filth! I wiped away the tears from the corners of my eyes, took a deep breath, and called the lawyer my mother had trusted most during her lifetime: “Mr. Davies, activate that secret股权协议 (stock equity agreement) my mother left behind.” To prevent the Hayes family fortune from falling into the wrong hands, my mother had left an agreement: The agreement stipulated that the shares of Hayes Group could only be inherited by children born to her and my father during the period of their legal marriage. In other words, Julian, that illegitimate son, had no right to inherit any shares of Hayes Group. “Also, please draft a divorce agreement for me. I want Derek Thorne to leave with nothing!” “Understood, Miss Hayes.” After hanging up, I had my assistant “accidentally” leak a piece of news. #Hayes Heiress Gives Birth to Son, Transferred to Harbor City’s Top Post-Natal Care Center for Recovery.# Learning that I hadn’t died, Julian and Derek appeared at my hospital room door the next morning, their faces etched with apparent anxiety. “Aurora! How are you? Why was your phone off?” Julian was the first to rush in, his face full of worry and lingering fear. “We rushed over as soon as we heard the news. I’m so sorry, Aurora. It’s all my fault. I had an urgent company meeting that day, and I put my phone on silent. I completely missed the hospital’s call.” Derek also stepped forward, holding my hand, his eyes red. “Honey, I’m so sorry. I almost died of fright when I heard about your amniotic fluid embolism.” “It’s all my fault. I shouldn’t have gone to that stupid forum. I should have been by your side.” What a performance! I pulled my hand away and forced a small smile. “It’s fine, I don’t blame you. I’m fine too, don’t worry!” Derek picked up the nourishing broth from the table and spoon-fed me, his voice gentle. “Honey, you just gave birth, you’ve been through so much. Eat something quickly and recover well.” “Don’t worry about the company. Julian and I are here. Just rest easy. Once you’re out of recovery, I’ll hand the company back to you.” Heh, what a perfect multi-part scheme! When their murder plot failed, they intended to take advantage of my weakness to legitimately seize control of the company. I suppressed my disgust and obediently drank the broth, putting on a show of gratitude. My voice was hoarse, “Honey, Julian, I’m fine. Just a little tired.” “But the company, my body truly can’t handle it right now. Honey, why don’t you manage it for me temporarily?”

Derek and Julian exchanged a glance, a flicker of undetectable triumph in their eyes. “Of course, Honey, don’t worry. I’ll make sure to manage the company perfectly for you.” The fish had taken the bait! I nodded and had my assistant bring over a document I had prepared earlier. “Honey, this is a power of attorney for some company and family matters. Please sign it, so it’ll be easier for you to handle things.” In reality, I had prepared two documents. One was the power of attorney for managing company and family affairs; the other was the divorce agreement. I stacked the two documents together, revealing only the title of the power of attorney and the signature line at the bottom. Derek, thinking he had completely fooled me, quickly picked up the pen and signed his name on the last page. As I took back the agreement, a huge weight finally lifted from my heart. Derek, your good days are over! You and Julian, one by one, I won’t let any of you off! Just then, the hospital room door slammed open. Eleanor and Valerie Pierce strutted in, brazenly. Valerie caressed her belly, her voice delicate. “Sister, I heard you gave birth. We specially came to see you.” She walked to my bedside, deliberately jutting out her slightly swollen belly, and whispered mockingly in my ear, “Sister, you truly are an idiot. Do you think Derek loves you? He’s always loved me.” “I’m carrying his child too. Once I give birth, I’ll be the rightful Mrs. Thorne.” “And you, you’ll only be fit to hold your bastard child and be thrown out of the house.” Eleanor Pierce smugly stepped forward and whispered in agreement, “Aurora Hayes, Aurora Hayes, your mother was so shrewd back then, but it’s a pity she gave birth to an idiot like you.” “But, seeing how pitiful you are, if you kneel down now with that bastard child and beg us, I might just soften my heart and throw you and your child a crumb, allowing you to stay in the Hayes family and enjoy life.” I trembled with rage, roaring, “Get out! Both of you, get out!” But Valerie didn’t retreat. Instead, she stepped closer, pressing her belly against my arm, a twisted smile on her face. Then, her body suddenly went limp, and she fell straight backward. “Ah! Sister, you… how could you push me? My stomach…” She clutched her belly, her face ashen, sitting on the floor, crying bitterly. “Valerie!” Derek’s face instantly changed. He rushed forward, clutching Valerie to him with a pained expression. He turned back, glaring at me fiercely, and sternly rebuked, “Aurora Hayes, you poisonous woman! Valerie came to see you out of kindness, and you dared to lay such a cruel hand on her!” “Are you so intolerant? Can’t you even tolerate a pregnant woman!” I hadn’t even touched her! “I didn’t…” I tried to explain, but Julian interrupted me, his face cold. “Shut up! Still daring to talk back?” “I don’t think you need to stay in recovery anymore. You’re just too idle, enjoying too much luxury, which gives you the energy to throw tantrums here.” “Since you love making a fuss so much, how about we send you to that notorious ‘re-education’ facility for disobedient women on the city’s west side, to learn some manners!” Julian said, reaching out to grab me and the baby in my arms. I desperately shielded my baby, shrinking back in terror. That facility on the west side of the city was a place specifically used to punish disobedient women in Harbor City. People who went in there rarely emerged unscathed. “Don’t touch me!” I shrieked, desperately hugging my child, retreating repeatedly. Derek also took a step forward, blocking my escape, his face full of cold indifference. “Aurora Hayes, don’t make us use force.” They cornered me against the wall. I had nowhere left to go, and my heart sank deeper and deeper. Just when I thought my child and I were doomed, the hospital room door was violently pushed open again. “Stop! Who dares touch my woman and my child!” Caleb Vance rushed in, his face ashen, shielding me and the baby in my arms completely. “Dr. Vance?” Julian froze for a moment, then his expression darkened. “This is our family matter. What does it have to do with an outsider like you?”

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Julian suffered from emotional detachment. We were together for seven long years, yet he never once believed I truly loved him. Every heartfelt word I poured into those letters was dismissed as nothing but a lie, a cheap charade. Everyone else branded me a gold-digger. And he? He just met their scornful gazes with a cold stare, utterly indifferent. It wasn’t until the sunflowers I’d planted for him in the backyard finally bloomed, and my sacrifices were laid bare for the world to see, that Julian finally believed I loved him. But what he didn’t know was this: I was already dead. I died exactly one year ago today. The mountain crumbled, burying me, but not before I used every last ounce of strength to push him to safety. Yet, Julian walked away without a single glance back, never even mentioning me to anyone. Trapped in that mountain, waiting for a rescue that never came, I slowly, painfully starved to death. He always longed to hear me say ‘I love you.’ He knew I couldn’t speak, but never bothered to learn my sign language. He never knew that every single morning, my first thought, my first silent word, was ‘I love you.’

It was a full year later when my remains were finally discovered. After the accident, the area had been sealed off, no one allowed in or out. Massive boulders blocked the path completely, and I couldn’t find my way out, trapped in a tiny cave. By the time the rescue team arrived, all that was left of me was a skeletal remains. Rats and insects had long since picked my flesh clean, leaving nothing but bone. Even the remnants of my clothes were scattered, dragged yards away. I don’t know why my soul hadn’t dissipated. After a year in that lightless place, I had long since moved from initial despair and terror to a strange calm. I stood in the corner, watching them carefully gather my bones, taking them away for DNA comparison. When I floated out of the cave with the rescue team and the sunlight found me, it felt incredibly unreal, like a daze. On the way down the mountain, one of the female team members, Sarah, was excitedly waving her phone. “Julian is talking about his fiancée again in an interview! He’s so devoted, why would she just disappear like that, so ungrateful for his devotion?” Hearing that name after so long, I instinctively looked up. “Oh, remember when his fiancée planted that field of sunflowers for him? When they bloomed, Julian posted so many updates that day, just showing them off.” “But if they really loved each other, they’ll surely clear up any misunderstandings and get back together, right? Julian’s rich and handsome, after all!” A few of them huddled together, chattering away, their eyes shining as they gushed about Julian’s meteoric rise and impressive success story. Listening to their words, I froze, my mind a chaotic mess. Julian rarely had other people around him. For all those years, the only woman he’d been close to was me. It wasn’t that he was a saint. It was that I was relentlessly, stubbornly, *desperately* clinging to him. The day before we went to the mountains, I’d planted the entire backyard with sunflowers. I’d squatted for so long that when I stood up, my vision blurred, and I fell to the ground. Julian just walked past, utterly indifferent, not even sparing me a glance. He’d always been distant, even after seven years together; most of the time, he still treated me like I was invisible. When I scrambled awkwardly to my feet and chased after Julian, he looked at me with a calm gaze. I frantically tried to explain, signing wildly, but as our eyes met, it was like a sudden, icy splash of reality. Julian didn’t understand sign language, and I couldn’t speak. Our everyday communication was always through written words. “Julian, when the flowers bloom, can we get married?” I carefully typed out the sentence, showing him the screen. Even though everyone else dismissed our relationship, I stubbornly held onto Julian. He didn’t answer for a long time, and my previously tense emotions slowly calmed down. The scrapes on the back of my hand, the cuts on my calf from the sharp spade. His gaze, light and dismissive, swept over my scrapes and the desperate mess I was, before he simply turned and walked away. He never believed I loved him. Over the years, I’d wanted to marry him countless times, but he always refused. I never even got the chance to explain myself, only able to helplessly write ‘I love you’ over and over again. When others mocked and questioned me, Julian never seemed to care, even letting their rumors fester. The phone screen automatically dimmed, but I remained standing there, my expression dazed. If he didn’t believe me, why did he choose me in the first place?

I didn’t know where I should go. When my thoughts returned, my spirit was already floating at the entrance of the villa. Before I even got close, I saw the vast golden flower sea—the entire area filled with sunflowers. On the way here, I’d already heard so much about Julian. Everyone said he’d been searching for me all this time, desperate to salvage our relationship. People dismissed me as ungrateful, calling me cold and heartless. If I truly loved him, why would I disappear for a whole year, not even giving Julian a chance to change? But they didn’t know I’d waited for Julian for seven years, and loved him for seven years. Julian claimed I loved sunflowers, so the media eagerly reported how he’d planted an entire field of them for me. This grand gesture, supposedly proof of his deep affection, actually reeked of insincerity. I didn’t even like sunflowers. That field was just the last gift I’d left behind. They even kept repeating the flower’s meaning: “silent love,” pinning it onto Julian. His public display was so overwhelming that no one bothered to care about the small patch of flowers in the backyard that truly belonged to me. Returning here after a year, I felt utterly lost. My hands passed right through the glass door, the lightness of my body once again reminding me of the grim reality of my death. I saw many framed pictures on the living room wall, displaying the love letters I had written. That was the first time Julian ever questioned my sincerity. He didn’t believe in love, and his friends looked down on me, a mute girl. They would jokingly ask if I was only with Julian for his money, their voices dripping with casual disdain. My face flushed crimson, and I frantically signed my explanations, forgetting that these rich kids couldn’t understand sign language. Julian never said a word, just stood there, watching the whole circus with a cold expression. To prove myself, I wrote countless love letters, articulating my affection word by word. But these letters were eventually thrown to the floor during one of our arguments, dismissed as trash by Julian. He claimed he didn’t believe those hollow words, sneering at my supposed insincerity. I cried, trying to pick up the scattered papers, unable to make a sound. But now, red markings covered those letters. Every one of my sentences had a response—Julian’s belated confession. So, he had always known I was telling the truth. He had always paid attention to everything I did. But Julian always pushed me away, again and again, all for his ridiculous pride. He’d deny me countless times, saying hurtful things, only to beg me to come back later. Because of Julian’s attitude, everyone around him looked down on me too. They all thought I was the one relentlessly clinging to him, but they didn’t know Julian and I were each other’s salvation. I loved the handsome boy from school, and he liked having me by his side. He’d pour out his heart to me, always standing up for me, always swearing he’d never let me suffer. He’d even tried to learn sign language for me once. But as time wore on, he simply… forgot. Those precious memories, along with his willingness to learn, were abandoned somewhere along the way.

The house felt familiar to my body, yet my memories were strangely distant. For the past year, trapped, I’d barely seen the sun, always engulfed in pitch darkness. As I fumbled my way to the study, the first thing I saw was a Julian I didn’t recognize. His desk was piled with books, all of them on sign language instruction. After I died, Julian finally began, belatedly, to learn my language. He started to study the things he had ignored, the things he’d thrown into corners as if they weren’t worth mentioning. Like the paper stars with every word I’d wanted to say to him written inside. Like the clothes I’d sewn for him myself, the clumsy stitches proof of how many times I’d pricked my fingers. It had hurt so much, but I’d been so full of hope that Julian would finally see me differently. Instead, he’d just given it a dismissive glance, tossed it into the closet, and I never saw it again. He never even tried it on. And now, Julian’s long, artistic fingers held a piece of fabric, completely at a loss. The pampered rich boy was finally humbling himself, trying to appease his late lover, a faint hint of guilt flickering in his heart. But Julian only knew the old me. He didn’t know I no longer liked plain white, or that my size had changed. Once, Julian had held me, heartbroken by how thin I was, swearing he’d make me plump and healthy. Later, he was indifferent even when I wasted away to skin and bones. When doctors subtly hinted that my condition was worsening, he just frowned at me. “Did I starve you? Why would you do this to yourself? What’s wrong?” He didn’t care, and he didn’t know. He didn’t know I was being gaslighted by his friends, spending sleepless nights tossing and turning, consumed by self-doubt. He didn’t notice the mistreatment from the household staff, or that the groceries they bought were often insufficient. He only saw the surface: he had given me so much, materially I had nothing to complain about. Julian didn’t care about my feelings. He just thought I was making a big deal out of nothing, complaining about problems that weren’t real. The day we went to the mountains, we were actually trying to salvage our relationship. Julian was coming home less and less, and our silences grew longer and longer. When the accident happened, Julian hadn’t even reacted yet. Because of my natural physical limitations, I’d always been acutely sensitive to my surroundings. But in that final moment, I resolutely pushed Julian out. And he just left, never looking back at me. I hoped he would bring a rescue team to find me. I fantasized about him appearing like a knight in shining armor, saving me from disaster. I don’t know how long I waited, but I remained trapped, despairingly huddled in the cave. The wind howled in my ears, the cave was cold and dark, and I was driven to the brink of madness. I was found a year after I died. Yet Julian sat there, composed, as if nothing had happened, simply *waiting* for me to magically reappear. He never even bothered to search for me. If he had thought of me, even once, during those agonizing days, I wouldn’t have died. I was only twenty-seven. I didn’t even die in the landslide; I starved to death. When I was alive, no one loved me, not even Julian, who constantly doubted me. It took my death for Julian to finally acknowledge me, to mercifully prepare to repay me. I was suddenly curious to see Julian’s reaction when he learned I was truly dead. In media interviews, he repeatedly spoke of his plans to propose to me. That was all I’d ever wanted, something I couldn’t have when I was alive. But now, I’d never get the chance to wear a wedding dress. Julian told everyone he missed me, but now I was right in front of him, and he couldn’t see me. The room was silent. Just then, Julian’s phone, resting beside him, abruptly rang. “Hello, is this Mr. Julian? We’ve found Ms. Harper’s remains. Do you have time to identify them?” I didn’t see Julian’s expression. Because I was too busy admiring the sunflowers in the backyard.

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She was the ultimate ice queen, and because she said she liked clean, pure guys, I actually kept the fact that my family’s racing club was packed with 99 fierce women a secret. For four years, I played the sweet campus charmer, all just to be with her. We promised to get married right after graduation. But then, everything changed when her childhood friend, Caleb, returned home. To take care of him, Seraphina abandoned me again and again, even planning to have a baby with him. “Julian,” she’d pleaded, her voice soft but firm, “Caleb’s family took me in, and he even cut his wrists for me once. His mental state is fragile, and he’s dying from a fatal illness. I can’t just watch him die.” “Only the baby’s umbilical cord blood can save him. I know you’re not a petty man, you’re so generous, you’ll understand, right?” I stared at the tell-tale hickeys on her collarbone, then glanced at the eighteen different sex toys scattered on the floor. “Saving people,” huh? Some rescue, alright. I’m done with this BS. Later, she came crying, begging for my forgiveness. My family’s 99 stunning professionals blocked her at the door. Their leader, Luna, leaned back, a lazy smile playing on her lips. “Lady Seraphina,” she drawled, “this track is private property. No outsiders allowed.”

Today was supposed to be the day of my engagement party with Seraphina. I’d booked her favorite Michelin-starred restaurant. That bottle of ’82 Lafite had been quietly decanting for three hours, just like my own burning heart, slowly chilling, settling into a heavy silence. Finally, she arrived, carrying a dusty weariness and an air of apology. “Julian, I’m so sorry. Something came up at the last minute.” She sat down, skillfully offering her excuses, not even noticing that her white silk blouse, with the second button haphazardly slipped into the third buttonhole, revealed a disheveled hint of what shouldn’t be. Even more damning was the strange, cheap, and sickeningly sweet men’s cologne clinging to her – like a needle, it pricked at my temples, sending jolts of pain through me. Just fresh off another man’s battlefield, you rush to my dinner? Seraphina, you truly are a master of time management. “Seraphina, we…” The words “break up” were on the tip of my tongue, but then her phone abruptly lit up. The name flashing on the screen: Caleb. She answered almost instinctively. The face that had been so dismissive towards me a second ago instantly melted into a tenderness I’d never seen, a sweetness that could drown a man. From the other end of the line, Caleb’s perfectly rehearsed, fragile whimper pierced through the speaker, floating directly into my ear: “Sera… I’m so scared being alone… I feel so cold.” “Are you going to leave me again, like last time? Do you not want me and our baby anymore?” Seraphina shot up from her seat, her voice filled with an unprecedented urgency and tenderness. “Don’t be silly, the doctors told you to rest. I just stepped out for some fresh air; I’ll be right back to you, promise.” She hung up, snatched her trench coat, and was about to leave. I finally spoke, my voice cold as ice: “Seraphina, look up at the calendar on the wall.” Her steps faltered. When she turned back to me, her eyes held nothing but impatience. “Julian, be mature. You know Caleb’s situation. He has a history of self-harm, and he acts out when he gets emotional. Now, he’s pregnant for his treatment, practically gambling with his life.” “That’s a human life! It’s just one dinner, can’t you be understanding?!” She finished, then turned resolutely and walked away. I stared blankly at the cake on the table, inscribed with “Sera & Julian.” The frosting melted under the lights, dripping down like the ridiculous love I’d poured into her for four years, silent, laughable tears. I vaguely remembered our sophomore year. Caleb was still abroad, stubbornly sending her all sorts of luxury items and overly sappy letters. Seraphina hadn’t even looked at them. Right in front of me, she’d tossed everything into the trash. She’d made an international call, her voice laced with ice: “Caleb, I’m warning you, stop bothering me with your dramatic, dying acts. It’s cheap.” After hanging up, she’d turned, cupped my face, and kissed me reverently in the sunlight: “Julian, don’t pay any attention to him. You’re the only one in my heart, always have been. That boy isn’t even fit to tie your shoelaces.” But now, for that man “not fit to tie my shoelaces,” she abandoned me again and again. All because her parents had died young, and Caleb’s family had taken her in. All because two months ago, Caleb’s father had tearfully entrusted his terminally ill son to her. All because he held something critical over her head. She called it repaying a debt, a way to show gratitude. She said it was just borrowing her body to have a child, to use the umbilical cord blood to save a life. “Julian, you have to believe me, my heart is yours. Once he’s repaid his family’s kindness, we’ll get married. I swear.” But does ‘repaying kindness’ mean sleeping with him? I looked at the puddle of melted frosting and suddenly felt that the girl in the white dress, who had pushed me away from a runaway race car in the rain, had died long ago. Died in Caleb’s sickbed and his seductive embrace. I decided to give her one last grand gift, a personal epitaph for this relationship.

I arrived at Seraphina’s penthouse duplex, carrying a Patek Philippe watch box. I’d casually bought this place for her when she complained about living in the dorms. The door opened. Caleb stood leaning against the doorframe, wearing Seraphina’s black silk robe. The robe hung loosely, revealing his pale chest, covered in tell-tale hickeys. He saw me, and his pretty eyes immediately welled up with tears, as if he’d suffered the greatest injustice. “Julian… don’t get the wrong idea. Sera just stayed to keep me company because she was afraid I’d do something reckless.” A rich, top-tier white tea scent mingled with the undeniable scent of… intimacy, assaulting my senses. I smiled, though the mirth never reached my eyes: “Is that right? She was afraid you’d ‘do something reckless,’ so she personally got involved, giving you… palliative care with her body temperature?” “Looks like she’s really dedicated herself to saving your life, must be exhausting.” Caleb’s face instantly went ashen, tears trembling on his lashes. Just then, the master bedroom door slid open with a whoosh. A bath robe hung loosely on Seraphina’s body. There were still hickeys on her neck as she walked out, wiping her wet hair. She froze when she saw me, then her gaze fell on the watch box in my hand, and her eyes instantly lit up. “Julian? What are you doing here?” She strode over, her voice filled with such surprise, such a naturally intimate tone. “And you brought me a gift? I knew you were the most generous, that you loved me the most.” She reached out to take it, completely ignoring the fragile thread that bound us. But then Caleb suddenly clutched his chest, letting out a series of heart-wrenching coughs. He gripped the doorframe, looking at Seraphina with tear-filled eyes: “Sera, am I… am I dying? Will I not see our baby…?” Seraphina’s face instantly changed. She immediately turned and took Caleb’s arm, carefully helping him to the sofa. Then she took his hand and placed it over her own lower abdomen. “Don’t be silly, the baby is already in my belly. Once he’s born, you’ll be saved.” Then she walked back, snatched the watch box from my hand, and thrust it into Caleb’s. “You take this for now. If it’s not enough, I’ll figure something else out.” Her tone was so natural, as if this watch—and even I—were just tools for her to appease another man. I looked at them, my heart chilling inch by inch, leaving only a numb, bitter amusement. Caleb was still putting on his act. He pushed the watch box back, saying with a heartbreaking vulnerability: “No, I can’t take it. This is Julian’s gesture, he loves you so much…” Seraphina frowned, turning back to look at me, her voice carrying a hint of entitled command. “Julian, how about this? You don’t really live in that lakeside villa in the suburbs anyway, why not sell it first to pay for Caleb’s treatment?” “Didn’t you always say what’s yours is mine? Caleb’s dad raised me. Without him, we would never have met. You wouldn’t want to see a parent burying their own child, would you?” “You’re so good, you’ll understand me, right?”

That villa was my eighteenth birthday gift, the last memento my mother left me. I had once smiled and told her that it would be our home once we were married. Now, it was just a chip in her mouth, to be casually sold off to save another man. How dare she? How dare she say such monstrous things just because I loved her? I looked at her utterly entitled face and suddenly smiled. “Alright,” I heard myself say in an unnervingly calm voice. “Seraphina, you and him can stay locked together, and don’t you dare infect anyone else with your toxicity.” “I wish you both a hundred years of happiness. Don’t disappoint each other.” With that, I turned to leave, resolute. But Seraphina panicked. She rushed after me, grabbing my wrist. “Julian, what do you mean?!” “I told you I’m just repaying a debt! As soon as he’s better, I’ll marry you!” I looked at her anxious face, then abruptly shook off her hand, letting out a cold laugh: “Seraphina, there’s no need anymore.” I had given up on her. I didn’t want her. I turned and pressed the elevator button. Seraphina, however, charged over like a maniac, blocking the elevator doors with her body. Her face was filled with anxiety and a hint of thin anger at being defied. “Julian! I can’t believe you’re such an ungenerous man! I always thought you were different from all those ordinary guys out there!” “It’s just selling a house to save a life, why can’t you understand me?” “Four years of our relationship, just over this little thing, you want to break up with me? Have you forgotten how many times I rejected him for you? Can’t you sacrifice for me just this once?!” I watched her hysterics coldly. From inside the apartment, Caleb’s timely groan drifted out. “Sera… my head hurts so much…” A flicker of struggle crossed Seraphina’s face, but she ultimately gritted her teeth, spat out, “Wait for me here,” and rushed back inside. The elevator doors slowly closed. In the final second before the gap shut completely, I clearly saw Caleb leaning on Seraphina’s shoulder, flashing me a victor’s defiant smile. I got into my Bugatti Veyron and calmly dialed my dad. “Dad.” “I’ve made up my mind. I’m coming home.” On the other end of the line, my dad’s booming voice first fell silent, then erupted in wild joy: “Made up your mind?! My love-struck fool has finally seen sense!” “That gold-digging vixen finally disgusted you? I always knew she was trouble! An opportunist who clawed her way up with her looks, thought she was hot stuff, didn’t she? Why should my son suffer such humiliation?!” “Wait! I’m sending someone to pick you up right away! And that villa, I’ll have that place scrubbed clean, sterilized three times over, inside and out. Not a single trace of her will remain!” Listening to my dad’s roar, I leaned against the car window, a wry smile on my face. “Alright.” The car sped to the villa entrance. But as I opened the main gate with my fingerprint, a nauseatingly sweet smell assaulted my senses. The living room was a mess, the carpets and sofas covered in suspicious, wet stains. The cloying, almost fishy smell made my stomach churn. Seeing the used toys on the floor, I couldn’t hold it in anymore and rushed to the doorway, vomiting violently. Just as I was seeing stars, my vision blurring, a sharp blow landed on the back of my neck. The world instantly flipped upside down. In the last moment before consciousness plunged into darkness, I saw Seraphina’s face. When I woke again, I was handcuffed in a basement. Seraphina sat on a chair opposite me, watching me silently, her eyes obsessive and deranged.

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On my eighteenth birthday, a young girl showed up at our door. She tearfully recounted to my brothers how our adoptive mother had switched her with me at the hospital when we were born. She claimed *she* was the Sterling family’s true heiress. I’d intended to step aside graciously, but my obsessive brothers locked me up instead. “You’re not going anywhere without our say-so. You’ll die within these walls before you ever escape us!” A sudden, fierce fire erupted. I couldn’t escape in time and was burned alive. When I opened my eyes again, I was back—one week before the ‘true heiress’ appeared. This time, Chloe still stormed into Sterling Manor, interrupting the birthday song my four brothers were singing. “I’m your real sister!” Huge, glistening tears rolled down her cheeks as she spoke. “My adoptive mother deliberately swapped me with her biological daughter at the hospital, just so her daughter could live a life of luxury. If a routine medical check-up hadn’t flagged a discrepancy in blood types, forcing me to finally confess, I would’ve been kept in the dark my entire life.” She sobbed, a pitiful sight, recounting years of neglect and hardship with her adoptive family—starved and freezing. She exposed her slender arms, covered in red, swollen bruises, complaining that her adoptive father would beat her with a belt whenever he drank too much. My brothers remained silent, their gazes fixed on Julian, waiting for him to speak. “First, a DNA test. We’ll discuss everything else after that.” The Sterling empire was vast, and Julian, the eldest, had transformed Sterling Corp into the undisputed titan of the entire Metropolis City in just a few short years. He was, naturally, a ruthless, decisive leader. Mr. Henderson, the butler, nodded, preparing to escort Chloe away. There was no emotional reunion, no warm embrace, just a stunned silence from Chloe. Then, she suddenly pointed at me. “Don’t be fooled, brothers! This woman definitely wants to team up with her biological mother, empty the Sterling accounts, and vanish!” Julian raised an eyebrow, turning to look at me, his voice soft and low. “Blair, your brothers can give you as much money as you want. But if you two really were swapped, do you want to leave, Blair?” He had asked me the same question in my previous life. Back then, I was perhaps blinded by the word ‘freedom’. I hastily agreed that if Chloe was the true heiress, I would leave the Sterling family and make way for her. My ‘generosity’ successfully enraged my brothers. They locked me away. “You’re not going anywhere without our say-so. You’ll die within these walls before you ever escape us!” The confinement room was pitch black, not a single sliver of light. No one was allowed near me except them, and no one was permitted to speak to me. On the day the fire broke out, I cried and screamed for help inside that room. I screamed until my throat was raw and bleeding, clawed at the door until my fingernails ripped off, but no one heard me, and no one saved me. The flames devoured me completely. I really did die in the Sterling house, consumed by the cruel shackles of their twisted affection. Snapping out of my memories, my eyes welled with tears, my face a mask of grievance. “Julian, do you remember the dream I had a week ago? I can’t believe what happened in it is actually coming true. Even though I can’t bear to leave you all, I’ll follow whatever you decide. If you want to send me away…” I broke down, unable to finish the sentence. They remembered that day from a week ago, and my brothers’ expressions softened. They promised me, “Blair, no matter what the results are, your brothers will never send you away.” I nodded, satisfied, wiping away my tears. This time, I would meticulously execute the plan I hadn’t had a chance to start in my previous life.

I was reborn one week before Chloe showed up at Sterling Manor. That morning, I clutched at Julian like a scared little bird, sobbing into his embrace. “I had a terrible nightmare. Someone said I wasn’t your sister, and they wanted to kick me out of the Sterling house. Waaah… I don’t want that! I love my brothers more than anything, I want to be with you forever!” Julian stroked my hair, comforting me, while my other brothers stood behind him, smiling with satisfaction. I knew they reveled in my complete, unquestioning dependence. The kind of helpless dependence they craved. This time, when Chloe again accused me of trying to run away, I subtly brought up that morning’s ‘dream,’ playing the part of the long-suffering, obedient sister to perfection. It worked. I successfully avoided being imprisoned. Sebastian, my second brother, was a doctor, reportedly the youngest Chief Physician Metropolis General Hospital had ever seen. He pulled some strings, and the DNA test results were ready in less than a day. The next evening, he brought Chloe into Sterling Villa and instructed Mr. Henderson, the butler. “From now on, the Second Miss will live here with us. Please prepare her room.” The test results were obvious. Sebastian was busy. He left instructions for Mr. Henderson to take good care of her and returned to the hospital. With my brothers gone, Chloe dropped her innocent facade. She approached me, her face alight with triumph. She whispered a threat, “Blair Sterling, there’s only room for one young lady in this house. Soon, I’ll make sure you’re out.” Mr. Henderson showed her several rooms, all spacious and well-lit. Chloe picked and chose, clearly dissatisfied. “What, are you serious? Am I a charity case? Who wants to live in these cramped, corner rooms?” She pointed to the room in the very middle of the third floor. “That one. That’s mine.” Mr. Henderson looked troubled. “But… that’s Miss Blair’s room…” “It’s alright, Mr. Henderson,” I said, nodding at him. “If she likes it, let her have it. As long as my brothers are here, anywhere feels like home.” Nothing was a secret in this house. I knew this scene would reach my brothers’ ears very quickly, so of course, I had to play the part of the long-suffering, obedient sister to perfection. Besides, that room… it was perfect for my plans. While I was packing my belongings, Chloe came by to assert her dominance again. “Take all your stuff. I don’t want to move in and find the place still full of your trash. Oh, and you don’t even need to unpack. You’ll be packing your bags and disappearing for good soon enough anyway.” I put down the clothes in my hand, sighing softly. She really knew how to get under my skin. I grabbed her wrist, pushing up her sleeve. Chloe cried out in pain, tears streaming down her face, unable to wrench her hand free from my grip. “Does that hurt? What does it feel like to be hit with an iron pipe?” Her face was filled with terror. “How… how do you know?” Chloe used to be a delinquent, smoking, drinking, fighting—she did it all. The day after I was reborn, I rescued Stella, our class monitor, from an alley near school where Chloe was bullying her. The injuries on Chloe’s arm weren’t from her drunken adoptive father at all. They were from the iron pipe I’d picked up and used on her. “You’re the one who was wearing a mask and sticking your nose where it didn’t belong?” I didn’t answer, my finger tracing over her wound. “You know what? My brothers hate liars the most. If they found out…” I smiled faintly. “You’d be in a lot of trouble, wouldn’t you?”

To celebrate Chloe’s return to the Sterling family, the kitchen prepared an exquisite French meal. Despite Sebastian’s request for me to teach her dining etiquette before dinner, she still picked up the main course knife and fork when eating the appetizer. The utensils scraped loudly against the plate, producing a jarring, unpleasant sound. Sebastian frowned, pausing his own movements. He valued etiquette above all else; elegance was his motto. When I was little, I was too weak to hold my utensils steady and occasionally dropped them. He would make me stand in the corner for an hour, holding my knife and fork above my head, no matter how much I cried or begged. Chloe sensed the shift in atmosphere and cautiously put down the utensils, her eyes welling up. “I’m sorry. Life was so hard in that other house. I’ve never eaten such good, refined food before. And Blair taught me too fast; I couldn’t keep up. It’s my fault for being so slow…” My own movements faltered. I quickly apologized. “It’s my mistake. I should have been more patient and thorough in teaching Chloe. I accept my punishment.” I voluntarily stood up and moved to the corner of the dining room, raising my hands above my head, ready for my punishment. I had expected Chloe to be reprimanded too, but to my surprise, Sebastian said, “Considering this is your first offense, I’ll forgive you this time. But it must not happen again.” He picked up his knife and fork again, demonstrating the correct dining etiquette to Chloe, inviting her to learn from him. I lowered my gaze, watching the scene unfold. It made sense; their long-lost sister, found after eighteen years, deserved some leniency for the hardships she’d endured. But it was the first time I realized that a first offense could actually be forgiven. During dinner, Chloe couldn’t help but glance at me several times out of the corner of her eye, eating even more carefully. I knew she couldn’t understand. Everyone called me the Sterling brothers’ favorite, their treasured little sister, admired by countless people. But in reality, I was nothing more than a human puppet they held in their hands, playing with me as they pleased. After dinner, Julian instructed Mr. Henderson, “Starting tomorrow, Chloe’s entire curriculum will follow Blair’s schedule.” Chloe nodded eagerly, sweetly thanking Julian. She had no idea the crisis that awaited her. She was simply thrilled to be treated as my equal, receiving the same elite education. The next morning, Chloe was pulled from bed by a maid before five AM to join me for English morning reading. At six o’clock, during morning exercises, the yoga instructor was forcing her into deep stretches, her screams echoing through the hall the entire time. After breakfast, she endured three consecutive academic classes plus a calligraphy lesson, constantly nodding off and slumping in her seat. There was no nap time at noon; she had to study piano, chess, design, and various other skills. The afternoon consisted of two hours of intense physical training, followed immediately by etiquette lessons. At dinner, I saw her about to beg Julian for mercy, but she swallowed her words under his cold glare. After two more academic classes in the evening, plus time to complete homework, it was already past midnight before she could finally go to bed. When classes finally ended, I heard Chloe mutter a curse under her breath, grumbling, “Turns out being a rich girl isn’t so great after all.” I didn’t know what other rich girls were like. But my past eighteen years had been spent almost exactly like this every day, with never more than five hours of sleep. Every time my brothers randomly checked my homework, it was a nightmare. I could never meet their expectations; endless punishments always awaited me. My brothers always said these high standards were for my own good, to make me an even better person. Whether I became ‘better’ or not, I didn’t know. After all, this was just the person *they* wanted me to be.

Sunday afternoon, I was practicing flower arrangement in the garden. A middle-aged couple poked their heads tentatively out from the villa entrance. Their eyes lit up when they saw me. “Blair! Blair! Daddy and Mommy are here to take you home!” I coldly replied, “I’m sorry, I don’t know you.” Chloe heard the commotion and walked out of the living room, sneering, “People shouldn’t forget their roots, you know. No matter what, you shouldn’t abandon your own parents!” She opened the door, letting my former adoptive parents in. Julian and Ryder happened to come downstairs at that moment. Ryder, my youngest brother, ran the family’s underground dealings and always had a short temper. He glared at the couple. “I haven’t even come to settle scores with you about the swap, and you dare show up on our doorstep?” Brenda, my adoptive mother, quickly started wailing dramatically. “It’s a misunderstanding! We’re victims too! The nurse must have swapped the babies by mistake. We absolutely didn’t do it on purpose!” She looked at me and continued, “Blair is our biological daughter. Since Chloe has returned to the Sterlings, we want to take Blair home.” There was no genuine emotion, no maternal love in her eyes—only a calculating scheme hidden deep within. I wondered how many benefits Chloe had promised her to make her bold enough to come to the Sterling house and demand me. If I could see through such a flimsy trick, how could Julian, a seasoned old fox in the business world, not? He once again tossed the question to me. “Blair, I respect your choice. Do you want to go with them?”

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That summer when I was 18, Ryan took my virginity. I endured the pain, but secretly felt happy all night long, thinking my six years of secret love had finally come to fruition. Until the next day, when I overheard his friends teasing him: “Not bad, you scored with the class beauty.” I felt embarrassed and was about to quietly leave. Then I heard Ryan’s casual reply: “I want to pursue the school beauty, but I’m afraid she’ll think I’m too inexperienced. “So I’m using Mia to practice my skills first.” I didn’t say anything. At the last moment before the deadline, I silently changed my college application from New York to Florida.

Ryan’s words hit me like a bolt from the blue, completely catching me off guard. My mind went blank instantly. On such a hot summer afternoon, I felt chills all over my body. The conversation in the classroom continued. The others seemed stunned for a moment before speaking again. “As expected of Ryan, even the class beauty is just practice for him.” “Doesn’t that make her like, you know, a maid for ‘special services’ in those old wealthy families?” Ryan laughed carelessly: “Don’t talk nonsense. It’s not like she’s losing out.” Someone immediately agreed. “That’s right, the class beauty has gotten a bit thin. Compared to the school beauty, her figure is…” Ryan irritably threw a book at him, interrupting his comment. “It was just a moment of impulse. The mood was right, and she seemed to be struggling to hold back too…” The others exchanged knowing looks and teased him: “Who would’ve thought the class beauty was the sultry type.” “Tsk tsk, it’s our Ryan’s irresistible charm. Might as well eat the meat right in front of you.” “The class beauty has been chasing after Ryan for so many years. I guess she finally got her wish. She probably wanted to jump him long ago.” The laughter in the room grew noticeably louder. I bit my lip hard, my hands clenched into tight fists. It took all my strength to keep steady and not collapse at the classroom door. Footsteps approached from the end of the hallway. I snapped back to my senses and fled the scene in a panic. In my confusion, I hid in a bathroom stall.

Tears of heartbreak and humiliation were already flowing freely. Ryan’s words echoed in my mind over and over, nearly destroying all of my self-esteem. If I hadn’t heard it with my own ears, I never would have believed that he was the same person who had been so passionately intimate with me just last night. So it turns out you can do such intimate things even without love. Even in the most passionate, irrational moments, it’s possible to lie and deceive. What I foolishly thought was the culmination of our relationship was nothing more than a joke to others. The more I cried, the more upset I became. But I didn’t dare make any loud sounds. My body kept shaking uncontrollably. After a long while. My phone buzzed with a message notification. It was from Ryan. [Take a cab home yourself. My class is having a party tonight, so it’s not convenient for me to take you.] I didn’t reply. He added another message. [Remember to buy the morning-after pill yourself. I’m too busy today. Make sure to take it, be good.] I stared at these two messages for a long time, speechless. Last night, from dusk till dawn, Ryan had worn me out over and over again. Before falling asleep exhausted in each other’s arms, he had whispered twice: “I wasn’t fully prepared for our first time. I’ll definitely buy you the pill tomorrow.” He even reminded me that girls need to protect themselves, and that I must take the morning-after pill or it could be very harmful to my body. At the time, I thought he was being so responsible towards me. I thought I had finally found my happiness. But now… In an instant, I sobered up considerably. I pinched my palm hard, forcing myself to stop crying. I wiped away my tears, composed myself, and left the bathroom. Too embarrassed to go to the pharmacy, I just ordered the pill online. After the delivery driver left it at the door, I waited a long time before I dared to sneak out and retrieve it. After swallowing the pill with tears in my eyes, I seemed to lose all my strength. I just sat numbly on the carpet, staring blankly. Ever since Ryan’s family moved in next door, I had followed him around like a little puppy for ten years. I had never imagined what a world without him would be like. I didn’t dare to imagine it. But from now on, I would be alone. Outside the floor-to-ceiling windows, lights came on one after another, then gradually went out. I don’t know how much time passed before my best friend Lily video called me. “Mia, why didn’t you come to our class party with Ryan tonight? “That Claire from the liberal arts class showed up instead. She’s been clinging to Ryan while you’re not here. The two of them are being so gross.” Lily turned the camera to show me.

In a dark corner of the private room, Ryan and Claire, the school beauty, were sitting very close together. Claire was wearing a crop top and tight jeans tonight, showing off her slim waist and long legs. The two of them were clearly separated from the rest of the group. Even when they talked, it looked like they were whispering sweet nothings to each other. The flirtatious atmosphere was palpable even through the screen. My chest tightened uncontrollably. Ryan had just said this afternoon that he wanted to pursue her. It seems he had already succeeded by evening. Claire drew a “Truth or Dare” card that required her to do push-ups with a guy on top. She had to choose a male participant. Unsurprisingly, Ryan immediately volunteered. Everyone started cheering and teasing them. Claire’s face turned red as she obediently lay down on the sofa. Ryan positioned himself above her and easily did dozens of push-ups. He was very restrained the whole time, carefully avoiding touching Claire’s body. Until the very last one, whether he finally lost his strength or did it on purpose. He couldn’t hold himself up and collapsed directly on top of Claire. The screams around them grew even louder, nearly taking the roof off. Ryan and Claire’s faces turned even redder. Amid the crowd’s frenzied cheering, Ryan simply lowered his head and kissed Claire. The two of them made out passionately, oblivious to everyone else. It went on for a full three minutes before they reluctantly separated. During those endless three minutes, I stared at the screen unblinkingly, so shocked I almost forgot to breathe. My heart felt like it was being torn apart. I wanted to cry, but I had cried too much earlier without drinking water, so I had no tears left. “Tsk tsk tsk, Mia did you see that clearly? They were French kissing with tongue and everything. He’s totally into her.” Lily sighed as she turned the camera and left the private room. She found a quiet corner and earnestly advised me: “Mia, don’t blame me. If I didn’t let you see it with your own eyes, you wouldn’t give up on him.” My throat was dry and the sounds I made were barely audible. “Mm, I don’t blame you.” I only blame myself for being so stupid for so many years. I thought that since I was always allowed to follow Ryan around, that position by his side would always be mine. “I just can’t stand Ryan. What gives him the right to string you along for years, knowing you like him, pretending to be an innocent boy while watching you fall deeper and deeper. “Now you’ve seen it clearly. I really hope you’ll seriously reconsider. Don’t let him waste another four years of your life in college…” “I won’t, Lily.” I interrupted her, stating calmly. “I won’t give myself another chance. “Lily, I’ve decided. I’m going to college in Florida with you. “But you have to promise to keep it a secret for now.”

After saying that, to prevent myself from hesitating again, I opened my laptop in front of her. Without any hesitation, at the last minute before the deadline, I changed my first choice to that famous university in Florida. Lily was of course overjoyed. She had been begging me to apply to the same school for a long time. But when we first started high school, I had already made a promise with Ryan that we would work hard together and go to his dream school in New York after the SATs. That’s where his favorite aerospace program was. So even though I didn’t particularly like the cold North, and didn’t have much interest in that engineering-focused school, for all three years of high school, I still made it my goal. After being neighbors for so many years, both sets of parents were happy for us to go to the same college. Everyone, including me, thought that Ryan and I would naturally become a couple after we became adults. But now, I couldn’t find any reason to go to New York anymore. Or rather, after today, if I still clung to Ryan like before. I would despise myself. Now I just wanted to hide far away. It didn’t matter where, as long as Ryan wasn’t there. If he was in the North, then I would go South.

Before bed, I filled the entire bathtub, wanting to thoroughly wash myself clean. But when I took off my clothes, the bruises on my skin were still very visible. Memories of last night came flooding back uncontrollably. The scorching heat of the young man’s skin as we embraced tightly, the burning breath in my ear as we made love, the lingering warmth still seemed to surround me. I shook my head vigorously, trying to get rid of these wild thoughts. I found the roughest loofah and scrubbed my skin over and over again, only stopping when my whole body turned red. Clumsily trying to erase this most shameful memory of my life. As a result, I was in so much pain that I couldn’t sleep well all night. Ryan indeed didn’t send any more messages. Breaking the habit we’d had for six years, ever since we got phones, of saying goodnight to each other without fail. This was for the best. It would have happened sooner or later anyway. Might as well start detoxing from tonight. I dozed off fitfully until nearly dawn. The next morning while I was still sound asleep, I suddenly felt someone plant a light kiss on my forehead in my dream.

I woke up with a start. But what I saw when I opened my eyes was a familiar chin and Adam’s apple. The scent enveloping me from above was Ryan’s favorite cedar fragrance, along with a faint, unfamiliar hint of lemon. I had almost forgotten, Ryan still knew the passcode to my front door. Seeing that I was awake, Ryan simply moved lower, chuckling as he tried to kiss my lips. I hurriedly turned my head to avoid it. I pushed him away and retreated to the other side of the bed. Ryan was stunned for a moment, then laughed at me: “Why so shy now? Hmm?” I didn’t say anything, just pulled the covers over my head. Ryan scolded me while trying to pull off my blanket. “Mia, you’ve gotten bold, huh? You didn’t even say goodnight to me last night, and you dared to turn off your phone and go to sleep. “Now you’re hiding from me?” He deftly slipped under my covers. Before I could react, he had wrapped me in his arms. “Be good, how many times have I told you not to skip breakfast. “I went for a 30-minute run specially to get you those crab roe buns you love. I queued for ages. “Do you want to get up and eat now, or do you want to… be eaten first…” His breath was very close to me, and his hands started roaming. Fully awake now, I struggled desperately. But at 5’3″, I was no match for a 6’2″ man. I really couldn’t understand what he was thinking. He already had Claire, why was he still messing with me? After struggling hard for a while, I was panting heavily. I hadn’t broken free, but was held even tighter. “What are you throwing a tantrum about now? “Are you angry? Just because I didn’t take you to the party last night? Such a trivial thing?” I didn’t say anything. He buried his face in the crook of my neck, laughing out loud. “Let me guess, your good friend Lily tattled to you? “It was just a game, is that worth being jealous over? “Why are you still like before, getting all sulky whenever I get a little close to other girls.” I was furious beyond words, with no idea where to even begin. Remembering what I learned during freshman orientation, I suddenly raised my knee and kicked him between the legs, then quickly ran off the bed while he was in pain. “Mia!” Ryan gritted his teeth, his face turning red. I hurriedly threw on a shirt over my pajamas and rushed to the living room. I didn’t want to be in the same room as him, especially not my bedroom. Not long after, Ryan also came out, looking both angry and helpless. After a long while, he seemed to suddenly remember something and casually asked: “By the way, you took the pill yesterday, right?” “Don’t cause any trouble. We can’t explain it to our parents.” Ryan walked to the dining table and picked up a soy milk, handing it to me. “Be good, eat something before you get angry. Your stomach isn’t great to begin with.” I didn’t say anything, nor did I take it. Ryan’s hand holding the soy milk hovered in the air for a long time before he finally lost patience. “What exactly is the matter? “Mia, even if you’re throwing a tantrum, there should be a reason and a limit, right?” I coldly replied: “I’m not worthy.” Ryan got angry too, slamming the soy milk down hard on the coffee table. He used too much force. The plastic cup cracked and all the soy milk instantly spilled onto the carpet. “What do you mean? “Who do you think you are, Mia? “We just slept together once by mutual consent, and now you want to control me? Don’t you know how suffocating that is?” His tone was unprecedentedly fierce. In an instant, tears streamed down my face without any buildup. Yesterday’s humiliation and grievances all came rushing back. Ryan seemed unprepared for my sudden intense crying and was at a loss for what to do. He apologized regretfully: “I’m sorry, I drank too much last night. I spoke impulsively just now.” Ryan crouched down beside me as he spoke, reaching out to wipe away my tears, but I dodged him again. He was stunned, his hand frozen in midair. Just as he was about to continue comforting me, his phone suddenly rang. He glanced at it once, his expression changing drastically. He immediately got up to leave. “I have an urgent matter to attend to. Calm down by yourself first. “We’re in college now. You can’t always act like a child. Who else could put up with that in the future?”

Less than half an hour after he left, Lily sent me a screenshot. It was Claire’s social media post. [Claire: Just said I was hungry, and a loving breakfast magically appeared! Feels like my crush and I are moving towards each other~] The photo showed packaging identical to the crab roe buns on my dining table. I didn’t reply. I just silently wiped away my tears and crouched down to carefully clean up the soy milk Ryan had spilled. After trying for a long time, I sadly discovered that the stain had seeped deep into the wool carpet and couldn’t be removed no matter what. In a fit of anger, I simply threw out the entire carpet. It was the one Ryan and his parents had carefully chosen and carried back for me after an entire afternoon of shopping during their trip to Nepal anyway. While I was at it, I gathered up all of Ryan’s things left at my place, as well as all the big and small gifts he had ever given me. I even collected all our photos together. It took me all day to pack everything up and throw it away. I guess he wouldn’t want these old things anymore either. After Ryan left that day, there was no news from him for several days in a row. I suppose things were going well with the school beauty. Or maybe he was waiting for me to give in first. In the past, I had always been the one to make up first after every cold war, without exception. But this time I didn’t reach out to him. There was no need to reach out anymore. I blocked his SnapChat and phone number, changed my home’s door passcode, and deleted all my social media accounts. After doing all this, I called my parents who were away on business trips. I told them I wanted to visit my aunt in America during the summer break. My plan was to spend the summer there, then go straight down south with Lily to start college when the break was over. Except for Lily, no one else knew I had applied to a school in Florida. This plan should perfectly avoid any chance of running into Ryan. Mom still teased me on the phone, “Oh my, are you and Ryan going on vacation together?” I made up an excuse to deny it, not wanting to explain too much. I just told her I wanted to spend time with my aunt and grandmother. I begged Dad to buy me a ticket on the soonest flight. I was planning to fly out that very night. As I was leaving, I unfortunately ran into Ryan’s mom at the entrance of our building. She warmly greeted me: “Mia, why are you alone here? Didn’t Ryan come to pick you up? “Didn’t he say he was taking you skiing in New Zealand? Go and have a great time, Auntie fully supports you two.” I was a bit confused. During our intense SAT prep period, I had indeed mentioned to Ryan that I wanted to go skiing in New Zealand to experience winter in the Southern Hemisphere. But given our current situation, how could we possibly go on a trip together? However, I was running out of time, so I just hastily made some vague replies before leaving. But what I didn’t expect was that at the airport, I actually ran into Ryan.

He was with a group of friends. Claire was there too. Ryan was carrying a woman’s handbag in one hand, his other arm around Claire’s waist. They were walking at the back of the group. From time to time Claire would turn her head to say something to him, and Ryan would always cooperate, patiently bending down to listen. Not like with me. Ryan had always been a head taller than me since we were kids, and he kept getting taller. When I was with him, I always had to jump up and down and lift my head to talk to him. It turns out he will lower his head for someone he truly cares about. I took a deep breath. Telling myself I must have some dignity. Whatever he does has nothing to do with me anymore. If I keep overthinking, I’ll slap myself. But there seemed to be only one path to the departure gates. I could only follow far behind them. Finally, we reached a fork in the path. Ryan seemed to be getting a bit distracted. He made several phone calls that didn’t go through, then fiddled with his phone for a while. In the end, he borrowed a friend’s phone and walked to a nearby restroom with a gloomy expression. Not long after, my phone suddenly rang. It was an unknown number. “Mia, you’re really angry this time, huh? You won’t reach out to me unless I contact you first? “You even blocked me? “If you have the guts, then just keep not contacting me. Let’s see who will take care of you when you’re all alone in an unfamiliar place in New York.” Ryan’s tone was harsh as he berated me nonstop. I didn’t say anything. There was really no way to respond to that. But Ryan seemed to get even angrier. “I won’t say much more. Hurry up and add me back on SnapChat. “I’m about to go abroad with some friends for a couple days, so I might not be reachable by phone. Don’t worry and cry.” I couldn’t be bothered to say a single word to him. I hung up the phone immediately and turned it off. From a distance, I watched Ryan return to his group with a dark expression. He angrily pulled Claire along, no longer hesitating, and headed straight for the left departure gate. I sighed and turned to walk towards the right.

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